Gonzalo Perez, CEO of Apuesta Total, has publicly expressed his concerns over the Peruvian Ministry of Foreign Trade and Tourism’s (Mincetur) recent decision to adjust tax policies affecting remote gaming and sports betting in the country.
These changes, which were publicized in Peru’s government publication, *El Peruano*, are scheduled to be implemented starting January 2025.
The key change involves the introduction of Legislative Decree 1644, which imposes a 1% excise tax on the turnover of operators.
Currently, operators in Peru already deal with a 12% tax on gross gaming revenue (GGR), a measure introduced when regulations were last updated in the fourth quarter of 2023.
The proposed 1% excise tax is predicted to generate an additional SOL110 million (£23.3 million) annually for the government. Despite this, Perez warns that this decision could spell trouble for operators in the industry.
Taking to LinkedIn, Perez voiced his apprehensions about the forthcoming revisions, cautioning that the industry is likely to face “challenging weeks” ahead.
He explained, “With both taxes taking effect in January 2025, the compliance with the selective tax, as specified, seems extremely challenging or even unfeasible. This is due to the fact that the tax obligation occurs when a bet is made, necessitating updates to the technological platform to adjust the tax transfer to the player.
“This involves recertification in a lab and re-homologation with Mincetur, which takes roughly eight to 12 months. During this period, the ISC (consumption tax) cannot be passed on, thus it effectively becomes confiscatory.
“It’s important to recognize that our sector, possibly uniquely, operates on a platform certified and approved by a state-endorsed lab. Operating without this certification and homologation risks not only penalties but also losing authorization.”
Last October, Mincetur enacted Law No 31557, governing online gaming and casino regulations.
These rules took effect on February 9, leading to several operators like Betsson and bet365 entering the Peruvian market.
The article “Apuesta Total CEO Voices Concern Over Peru’s Remote Gaming Tax Changes” was originally published on [EGR Intel](https://www.egr.global/intel).