Paraguay will begin it de-monopolisation of gambling contracts by launching a tender for Quinela Nacional a project carrying political consequences for regulator CONAJZAR and President Peña reports Damián Martínez

Paraguay continues to restructure laws and contracts related to gambling services, as demanded by President Santiago Peña.

This week, CONAJZAR, the National Gambling Commission of Paraguay was instructed by the Colorado Party government to launch a historic tender for the Quinela Nacional – Paraguay’s popular small draw lottery games.

The regulator confirmed it had been ordered to “break the operating model of the Quiniela”, allowing up to three new operating licences to be awarded. The reform will end the single-operator system that has defined the market for decades.

As reported by SBC Noticias, the tender marks the first renewal in five years, following the 2020 award to TDP S.A., which has since managed the Quiniela Nacional under CONAJZAR’s supervision.

TDP (Tecnología en Desarrollo de Paraguay S.A.) is a local gaming services firm overseeing the lottery’s retail network, draw management, and digital ticket distribution.

The tender documents will be available for purchase from 17 November, priced at 100 million guaraníes (around €12,500). The new concession system will take effect in January 2026 and remain valid until 2031, with the current operator continuing to run the lottery until the new licences are issued early next year.

According to CONAJZAR President Carlos Liseras, the Quiniela Nacional remains the commission’s most important source of revenue, generating over 9.3m guaraníes (€1.15m) in monthly fees to the state — adjusted annually according to the Consumer Price Index published by the Central Bank of Paraguay.

“The Quiniela is part of Paraguay’s cultural heritage,” Liseras said. “While younger generations are drawn to online games, this reform allows operators to innovate and digitise the Quiniela while maintaining its traditional essence.”

A tender with political consequences

In January 2025, President Santiago Peña secured approval to introduce a decree establishing a new legal framework for games of chance.

He explained that the reform would de-monopolise Paraguay’s gambling sector, creating new competition across the lottery and sports betting markets by expanding the number of licensed operators from one to three.

The decree followed a period of intense controversy for CONAJZAR. In 2023 and 2024, the regulator faced severe criticism over its mishandling of a federal sports betting franchise tender, which was announced to national media without formal government approval.

The process quickly became embroiled in legal challenges as rival bidders alleged that the competition’s conditions were skewed in favour of incumbent operator Daruma Sam, which already controlled the Aposta.LA retail betting network across Asunción.

To restore confidence and integrity in Paraguay’s gambling governance, Peña’s reforms outlined a transfer of oversight of CONAJZAR moving it from the Ministry of Economy and Finance to the National Directorate of Tax Revenue (DNIT).

The relevance of the tender carries significant political weight in Paraguay, as President Santiago Peña has entrusted the much-criticised CONAJZAR with overseeing the Quiniela Nacional process — the first gambling asset to be formally de-monopolised under his reform agenda.

The successful management of the Quiniela tender will set a precedent for further open competitions covering sportsbook franchises, online gambling licences, and the future management of Paraguay’s national lottery portfolio.