Puerto Rico’s regulator partners with idPair to modernise oversight
The Comisión de Juegos del Gobierno de Puerto Rico has partnered with idPair to advance responsible gaming practices. Starting next month, residents will be able to voluntarily exclude themselves from gambling activities across multiple platforms, including casinos, sports wagering, and other regulated options, through a unified system.
Anyone can register online, with exclusion data securely shared with licence operators via idPair’s platform. It is also already available in several jurisdictions.
Industry context and challenges
Puerto Rico legalised casino gaming in 1948 with Act No. 221, making it the second U.S. jurisdiction after Nevada to formally regulate gambling. Since then, its framework has expanded to include casinos, slot machines, horse racing, and, more recently, sports betting, though online casinos remain unregulated.
But the country’s regulatory framework is less mature than those of Tier-1 jurisdictions such as the UK and Malta. Puerto Rico even lags behind in Latin American countries like Colombia and Brazil. Despite Puerto Rico allowing sports betting, there is no legal framework for online casinos, making the market vulnerable to illegal operators.
Weak safeguards also compound the issue. Limited addiction protections, low tax rates, and loopholes are exploited by prediction market platforms like Kalshi and Robinhood, according to the Online Gambling Research Centre.
Additionally, an estimated 84–85 per cent of online gaming revenue in the country went to unlicensed platforms between 2024 and 2025, a number higher than the U.S. average of 75 per cent, as reported by Fair Gambling.
Industry praise from idPair
Despite these challenges, idPair CEO Jonathan Aiwazian described Puerto Rico as “one of the most dynamic and rapidly evolving gaming markets in the region, backed by strong leadership and a vibrant culture.” He emphasised that the partnership will streamline processes for operators, many of whom already manage exclusion data through idPair.
Commitment to responsible gaming
Responsible gaming is defined by stricter regulation worldwide in 2026, with AI‑driven monitoring and integration with public health strategies. For one, Europe leads with biometric ID checks and mandatory self‑exclusion, while Latin America and Asia experiment with tiered licensing and spending caps.
Puerto Rico Gaming Commission Executive Director Juan Carlos Santaella Marchán underscored the alliance’s policy significance: “This initiative aligns with the work we have carried out since I assumed office, as well as with our ongoing Responsible Gaming educational campaign. Once again, we reaffirm our commitment to Puerto Rico.”
AI monitoring tools such as GameScanner and Gamalyze are increasingly becoming standard practice. It continues to detect risky play patterns in real time. Moreover, regulators in Ontario, Greece, and Malta now mandate that operators implement these systems, thereby enhancing player protection through early interventions.
Regulatory context
The latest collaboration is a key legal development. Recently, the country’s Court of Appeals momentarily halted the intake of new route gaming licencing applications. It favoured the Commission in a dispute over whether regulators must allow a new operator into the recently formalised market. The ruling interrupted a lower court order that had compelled regulators to process applications.
Across various jurisdictions, each is reframing regulation as a foundation for trust and investment. In Europe, for instance, it has tightened advertising codes and required self-exclusion. In Brazil, the country stabilised its tax rate at 12 per cent of GGR to avoid a proposed hike, whereas in Asia, jurisdictions there are piloting tiered licencing models. It strives to balance oversight with growth, according to EGR Global.
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