Peru seeks new President for Gambling Directorate

The government of Peru seeks a new President to lead the General Directorate of Casino Games and Slot Machines (DGJCMT).

The development comes following the removal of incumbent Eduardo Sevilla Echevarría, whose tenure was terminated yesterday by MINCETUR, Peru’s Ministry of Foreign Trade and Tourism.

MINCETUR issued an update signed by Minister of Trade Juan Carlos Mathews Salazar detailing that the ministry “concludes the appointment of Mr. Eduardo Alfonso Sevilla Echevarría, in the position of General Director of the General Directorate of Casino Games and Slot Machines, under the Vice Ministry of Tourism of the Ministry of Foreign Trade and Tourism.”

No reasons were provided for the dismissal of Echevarría, who had led Peru’s Gambling Directorate since 2022, succeeding the long-standing President Manuel San Roman, DGJCMT leader since 2015.

2023 proceedings saw the Peruvian government authorize Law No.31806, a mandate which carried multiple amendments to ‘modify and update’ Peru’s existing Gambling Law of 1999.

As such, the Peruvian government will proceed to update Gambling Law articles related to optimizing tax collection, preventing money laundering, promoting responsible gambling, and ensuring a local presence for all businesses involved in Peruvian gambling activities.

An intervention by President Dina Boluarte deemed that MINCETUR would oversee the regulatory overhaul of Peruvian gambling with regards to ‘licensing controls’ and the financial supervision of licensed operators.

With its new remit, MINCETUR was instructed to triple license costs to S/ 3m (€750,000) for new and established online gambling operators.

The latest market developments, as detailed by SBCNoticias, note: “The modified Law came into force on February 9, 2024, and from then on, operators have 30 days (until March 10) to register with MINCETUR.”