Is online gambling legal in the Dominican Republic?

Legal overview

The Dominican Republic overhauled its gambling law with Law 86-26 on Games of Chance, dated 22 September 2026, which replaces a regime anchored in Law 351 of 1964. The law creates the Dirección General de Juegos de Azar (DGJA), an autonomous body attached to the Ministry of Finance and Economy. The DGJA supervises casinos, lottery and sports betting shops, bingo, gaming machines and online gambling. A Gaming Council approves certain licences and decides on suspensions and revocations. A transitional DGJA director was appointed by Decree 684-26 in October 2026, and the implementing regulation is due within 90 days of the law.

Online gambling, defined as betting through websites, apps or other electronic systems with remote payment, may be offered only by legal entities licensed by the DGJA (article 75). Licences run for ten years and cover a website address authorised by the DGJA, which according to trade press must be a .do domain. Before Law 86-26, Ministry of Finance Resolution 136-2024 had already set out online licences for casino, sports betting and other games, with local hosting and .do domains. Operators pay a monthly tax of 10% of their online operations base, with a flat RD$5 million a month until the collection system is in place.

Operators must verify players' identity and age against the electoral register, offer deposit, loss and session limits, and check the new National Self-Exclusion Register. Together with INDOTEL, the DGJA can order internet providers to block unlicensed sites and ask payment firms to stop transactions. It must also publish lists of authorised and blocked operators. Players should therefore use only DGJA-licensed sites.