At the start of his presentation on regulated gaming in Peru, Yuri Guerra Padilla, Director General of MINCETUR, praised the excellent joint work carried out between public and private sectors. He first addressed MINCETUR’s activities regarding approvals, renewals, and all administrative procedures related to the industry.

MINCETUR: Key Milestones

Oversight of activity: authorizations, renewals, standardizations

Supervision, control, and sanctioning of casino and slot machine operations

Seizure and closure operations

Gaming in Peru

“There are currently 694 gaming venues nationwide with 71,000 machines,” said the regulator, who also mentioned ongoing discussions with the Minister and Vice Minister to improve the sector’s tax framework.

“We’ve shortened review times from 30 days to just 7 or 8. Between 2024 and so far in 2025, we’ve handled nearly 20,000 procedures.”

“In the most important area—legal protection—we conducted 6,000 technical inspections nationwide, and only 31 violations were recorded, which shows the sector is behaving appropriately,” he added.

He also reported that over the past 19 years, casinos have contributed 20 billion soles in gaming taxes.

“From February 2024 to now, the Directorate has handled 11,000 administrative procedures, in addition to efforts to combat informality. One major challenge ahead is regulating points of sale. We’re now developing a strategy, as there are nearly 4,000 sports betting outlets.”

Regional Collaboration & Strategy

“We recently hosted a meeting of regulators in Peru, with attendees from Panama, Costa Rica, Colombia, Brazil, Argentina, Chile, Bolivia, and Ecuador. Colombian regulators mentioned blocking illegal sites—but how effective is that? So we’ve taken a simpler approach: coordinating with the private sector through service providers, and we’ve already registered 40% of illegal bets.”

“If we don’t work with strategy and planning, there’s no direction,” he added, outlining four phases:

Formalization of companies

Registration in the formal market

Registration of tech platforms

Launch of training and awareness efforts to educate operators on their responsibilities

Education and Awareness

Beyond inspections, MINCETUR plays an educational role for operators and stresses the importance of industry-led awareness efforts targeting civil society. The ministry’s role as a facilitator is key, and it remains available to support operators whenever needed.

Peru as a Regional Leader in Gaming Regulation

With 694 operational venues and over 71,000 machines, Peru has solidified its position as a regional benchmark in gaming regulation. The 20 billion soles in tax contributions over the past 19 years and the strategy to combat informality reflect a maturing industry. MINCETUR continues to act as a key facilitator, offering ongoing support to operators and reinforcing its role in benefiting civil society and national economic development.