The National Assembly of Panama has recently given the green light to this important bill, which sets out a clear framework for addressing gambling-related issues. Covering everything from traditional casinos, slot venues, and betting shops to digital gambling sites and mobile apps, the legislation emphasizes funding treatment programs, enforcing age restrictions, and implementing strict identity verification protocols.

Bill 403 aims to curb gambling disorders by establishing mandatory prevention strategies and dedicated treatment facilities. It expands regulatory oversight to include online platforms, mobile applications, and electronic systems that offer games of chance, betting, or other financial risk activities linked to chance.
A key component of the bill mandates that operators whether land-based or digital contribute 0.05% of their net profits to Panama’s mental health institute. This fund will help develop and sustain a national treatment center specifically focused on gambling addiction.

The legislation was brought forward by lawmakers Raúl Pineda and Crispiano Adames, with the goal of creating a safer gambling environment through mandatory prevention measures for both physical and digital venues.Protecting minors is at the heart of this policy. The bill explicitly bans anyone under 18 from participating in gambling activities, whether in person or online. To enforce this, it introduces biometric identity checks for digital platforms to verify age and identity.

Operators found allowing underage participation will face criminal sanctions. The Gaming Control Board, in partnership with the National Authority for Government Innovation, will oversee enforcement, while the Comptroller General is tasked with ensuring compliance. The Assembly emphasizes that gambling addiction should be viewed as a chronic health condition, one characterized by an inability to control gambling impulses, with far-reaching impacts on personal, professional, financial, and social well-being.

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According to the legislative summary, the bill also aims to raise awareness among players and bettors about the risks involved. It integrates prevention measures more explicitly into Panama’s broader gambling regulations, reflecting a new focus on harm prevention across both traditional venues and digital channels like online gambling and mobile betting.

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Jaramillo addressed the Economy and Finance Committee of the National Assembly, informing them that the Public Ministry is currently investigating 294 lottery books in various regions of the country, including Chiriquí, Los Pueblos, Veraguas, and San Miguelito, for irregularities. She also highlighted the existence of 500,000 outstanding checks and the issue of ghost books—papers that could potentially be exploited to siphon funds.

These disclosures have been met with apprehensive reactions from union leaders and ticket sellers. Alfredo Sosa from the Ticket Sellers’ Union emphasized the necessity for a full audit to determine the current status of the checks and passbooks, stating, “As ticket sellers, we must know what is going on with phantom passbooks.” In support of Jaramillo’s efforts, Guillermo Valdés Lagarto, head of the ticket sellers at El Dorado, described her approach as a “clean-up” operation for the LNB, while also advocating for the elimination of passbooks assigned to minors. He alleged that some deputies and representatives are purportedly involved in their illegal handling.

The term “ghost passbooks” refers to lottery passbooks that do not belong to legitimate vendors, yet still generate revenue that could be misappropriated. This situation directly affects legitimate ticket vendors, whose livelihoods rely on lottery revenue. Additionally, the presence of uncashed checks indicates that authorized sellers may not be receiving the money they are owed, pointing to potential corruption or theft within the organization. Panama Lottery Vendors

Lottery vendors have stated that an inquiry must extend beyond LNB officials to include leaders and patrons who may be benefitting from this unauthorized scheme. They claim that some tickets, particularly those managed by parliamentary members, are being obstructed by influential individuals, thereby hindering fair access to this income opportunity for regular vendors.

In response, vendors are calling for officials to undertake specific measures, including conducting an independent review to assess the extent of the anomalies, removing any registry entries that do not correspond to actual vendors, and punishing implicated officials and legislators. The Public Ministry is making progress in its investigations, primarily in Chiriquí and Veraguas, where the allegations of malpractice appear to be more advanced. Ticket vendors hope that the investigation will lead to systemic changes that ensure transparency and fairness within the lottery system.

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Despite pressure from various parties regarding the potential influence of the inquiry, Jaramillo has reiterated her commitment to institutional integrity. The case surrounding the Panama National Lottery of Charity’s phantom lottery books and uncashed checks highlights a more profound issue in lottery management—corruption and the uncontrolled distribution of funds. The most affected stakeholders, the ticket vendors, are seeking clear answers and decisive actions to preserve the charitable intent of these funds, ensuring they do not end up in the wrong hands.

Panamanian society anticipates that authorities will act justly and transparently, thereby guaranteeing that lottery funds fulfill their intended purpose: supporting those in greatest need. Panama Lottery Vendors

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