Although traffic is moving in the right direction, there are still more effective weapons that can be utilised to thwart the black market in Peru.
Efforts were driven by the iGaming market’s regulation in August 2022, leading to the Ministry of Foreign Trade and Tourism (Mincetur) reporting a 40% reduction in illegal online gambling activity in the country in May 2025
However, as doubts continue to linger among the country’s key operators around the effectiveness of the regulation in tackling the unlicensed sector, Gonzalo Pérez, CEO of Apuesta Total, emphasised his belief that efforts can still be elevated.
Perez stated: “We are pushing for an effective crackdown on illegal gambling. When informal competition exists, it creates a worrying imbalance.”
He went on to emphasise the importance of the regulator taking a more active role in raising awareness: “There should be a broad campaign to inform the public about which platforms are authorised. Education from the regulator is essential.”
Pablo Viana of RetaBet also explained that bureaucratic friction as a result of stringent regulation ultimately leads to unfair competition, even though Mincetur (the Ministry of Foreign Trade and Tourism) has tools such as prohibiting certified providers from offering their games to illegal operators.
“Players quickly notice when their wallets are affected. With the selective consumption tax, regulated operators are at a disadvantage compared to platforms that don’t pay taxes or invest in technology, and which can therefore offer more competitive conditions,” he argued.
He added: “Excessive regulation ends up rewarding those who don’t comply. There’s a very fine line that, if crossed, encourages illegal gambling. Regulation is necessary, but without sacrificing competitiveness.”
When asked about the measures that should be applied to payment and content providers to prevent them from continuing to fuel the illegal market, Gonzalo Pérez praised Mincetur’s strategy of pressuring certified providers not to offer their products to unauthorised platforms, under threat of being blocked.
“It’s an interesting measure. It’s not fair that a formal and an informal operation should have the same content. It’s one of the most effective ways to block illegal gambling, beyond simply blocking URLs,” he concluded.
Peru remains in the midst of political instability, following the removal of Former President Dina Boluarte last October.
Navigating the political volatility could be crucial as the country continues to evolve its gambling framework, with taxation clarity still being sought by many in the market.
Specific clarity is needed around the ISC rate, which is the tax on selective consumption andplaced on every bet laid.
