Peru Greenlights Legal iGaming & Betting, Sets 12% Tax  

The plenary session of the Congress in Peru gave the green light to a fresh gambling law that would legalize online games and sports betting. The legislation received 91 favorable votes, zero votes against, and only seven abstentions. The debate resulted in a regulatory framework that would establish the way iGaming and sports betting would function in the country. The new law will come into effect with the help of the Ministry of Foreign Trade and Tourism (Mincetur), under the strict regulation of the Government. The new legislation will ask operators to pay a 12% tax on their net gaming wins. 

Protective Measures against Problem Gambling

While eager to offer players and bettors access to the best gaming platforms, Mincetur will first make sure that all available operators will be properly licensed and fully compliant with the legislation. Operators will therefore need to protect vulnerable players against the perils of compulsive gambling, with special emphasis on a responsible gambling policy that would protect minors and excluded players. 

Operators will only be able to provide offer bonuses for online casino games as long the respective bonuses cannot be exchanged for real money. Sports betting operators will also be required to clearly display warning messages on all of their platforms. The messages will be used to inform players of the risks associated with excessive betting on online sports. 

The new gambling legislation in Peru will also allow remote sports betting rooms to be set up. Players will get to place their bets on sports games with the help of betting terminals. 

Provided the legislation is broken in any way, minor infractions are expected to trigger warnings from the regulator or fines of up to SOL200 ($51.24). In some cases, operators may be at risk of losing their license for up to 10 years. Under certain circumstances, a permanent ban may also be imposed on operators. The same regulatory body will also be allowed to impose other types of precautionary measures on gaming operators. The list includes the temporary closing of their establishments or their assets being confiscated.

12% Net Win Tax 

The Peruvian Association of Online Sports Betting’s vice-president Gonzalo Perez believes the 12% tax on net wins would enable them to keep making investments and contribute to the growth of the industry. The monthly tax will be imposed on operators’ net income minus their maintenance costs. The maintenance taxes will be set at 2% of operators’ monthly income. 

The new gambling legislation will come into effect two months after its publishing in El Peruano, the country’s official gazette.

The land gambling industry in the country is also going through important changes, with a fresh partnership between Zitro and Atlantic City Casino as one of the most recent developments. The provider agreed to have its 88 Link games installed at the venue located in Miraflores, a rich district visited by many tourists throughout the year.