Gambling income in the Dominican Republic increasing, as per recent statistics
The gambling industry in the Dominican Republic has been on an upward trajectory, with revenue increasing thanks to a regulated market that encompasses both land-based casinos and online betting, including sports betting. This growth is supported by the Dominican government, which views sports wagering as a vital component of the tourism sector [1].
Since 1999, both offline and online gambling have been legally regulated in the Dominican Republic [1]. Sports betting is legal and popular, with baseball, football, boxing, and volleyball being the main sports wagered on. The industry is governed by Law 351, with a 27% tax on gambling businesses and a 15% withholding tax for players [1].
Key recent trends and statistics show that the expansion of online platforms and accessible payment methods like Visa, MasterCard, Neteller, and Paysafecard are facilitating market growth [1]. Sports betting and casino gaming are essential components of the Dominican Republic’s tourism offerings, attracting both residents and tourists [1].
However, the industry faced a significant setback in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, resulting in a 38.4% decrease in revenue from 2019 to 2020 [2]. The adverse impact of the pandemic was evident, but the gambling market in the Dominican Republic has been rebounding since 2021. Revenues improved by 6.5% in the first half of 2023 compared to the same period in 2022 [2].
The upswing in the Dominican Republic’s gaming revenue can be largely attributed to the shift among sports betting operators towards regulation in 2021 [2]. The DR initiated key changes, announcing a transition period for operators to migrate into a regulated space [2]. Because of widespread delays, the deadline was extended, and by October 2022, the regulators began to enforce compliance [2].
In 2022, the sports betting segment in the Dominican Republic's gambling industry generated DOP1.42 billion (US$24.8 million), a growth of 17.9% compared to 2015 [2]. The sales tax on sports betting banks in the Dominican Republic has increased by 24% since 2015, from US$4.1 million to US$5 million [2].
Despite a few operators running without a license, the overall improvement in segment regulation promises to continue driving the growth of the Dominican Republic's gaming revenue [2]. In the last seven years, the segments demonstrating the most substantial growth in the Dominican Republic's gambling industry were lottery prizes, slot machines, and telephone games, with returns of 93%, 49%, and 33.7%, respectively [2].
If the current betting momentum persists, total revenue in 2023 could reach DOP4.21 billion (US$74 million), a potential 21% increase over last year's DOP3.64 billion (US$64 million) [2]. The gambling industry's revenue in the Dominican Republic went from DOP2.03 billion (US$35 million) in the first half of 2022 to DOP2.16 billion (US$37 million) in the first half of 2023 [2].
Notably, incidents of tourist deaths in the country in 2019 also negatively affected the gaming industry's revenue [2]. Betting operators who had not submitted the necessary paperwork found themselves having to shut down their operations [2]. The original deadline for operators to apply for and receive permits was April and May of 2021 [2].
The article was last updated on June 23, 2025 [2].
References: [1] Gambling Times. (n.d.). Gambling in the Dominican Republic: A Complete Guide. Retrieved from https://gamblingtimes.com/gambling-in-the-dominican-republic-a-complete-guide/ [2] Gambling Insider. (2023, September 11). Dominican Republic gambling market to grow as operators migrate to regulated space. Retrieved from https://www.gamblinginsider.com/regulation/dominican-republic-gambling-market-to-grow-as-operators-migrate-to-regulated-space-31167/
- In the Dominican Republic, sports betting is a significant contributor to the growth of the Caribbean gaming industry, with baseball, football, boxing, and volleyball being the main sports wagered on.
- The gambling market in the Dominican Republic, which includes casino-and-gambling and sports-betting, has been on a steady upward trajectory since 1999, with revenue increases positively impacted by a regulated market and the expansion of online platforms.
- Despite a few challenges, such as the COVID-19 pandemic and incidents of tourist deaths, the Dominican Republic's gaming revenue has been rebounding and is expected to reach DOP4.21 billion (US$74 million) in 2023, a potential 21% increase over the previous year.
