Bolivia steps up gambling enforcement as regulator issues over 1,200 licences

Bolivia’s gambling regulator intensified enforcement actions in 2025 while issuing more than 1,200 licences, as authorities responded to the rapid expansion of the sector and rising integrity concerns.

The Bolivia Gaming Control Authority (Autoridad de Juegos, AJ) reported carrying out raids on 82 illegal gambling establishments during the year, seizing 119 devices and destroying 230 machines operating outside the regulatory framework. Recent operations also focused on peri-urban areas of Cochabamba, where illegal gaming venues were dismantled.

The enforcement push comes amid growing scrutiny of the market, including concerns linked to sports betting. In February, the football sector faced renewed attention following match-fixing allegations involving players from Club Real Santa Cruz.

At the same time, the AJ confirmed that it issued 1,226 local gambling licences in 2025, although it did not specify how many were granted to business-to-consumer or business-to-business operators. The regulator said the number of licences granted “showed the interest of the administrators in developing their activities within the legal framework”.

Financial disclosures indicate that more than 90% of the authority’s 2025 budget was executed, with spending directed toward regulatory oversight and supervision of lotteries, gambling activities, raffles, and promotional campaigns across the country. Organisers of raffles and promotions distributed prizes totaling 573 million bolivianos, equivalent to $82.8 million, during the year.

The AJ’s operational processes were also certified under ISO 9001:2015 following an external audit conducted by Colombia’s ICONTEC. The update was presented during a virtual hearing on 18 March, held in compliance with constitutional requirements for public institutions to report on their performance and use of resources.