What Happened
The National Assembly approved in third debate a bill (Project of Law 403) aimed at preventing gambling addiction that would expand the powers of the Junta de Control de Juegos (JCJ) and place new obligations on telecommunications companies and internet service providers. The measure, presented by PRD deputy Raúl Pineda, requires intermediaries to carry out digital block orders issued by the JCJ and exposes them to steep fines if they fail to comply.
Key Provisions
Project of Law 403 broadens the JCJ’s oversight beyond game operators to include technology intermediaries. One controversial article obliges telecom operators and internet providers to comply “immediately” with JCJ-issued blocking orders. Non-compliance would carry fines ranging from $300,000 to $1 million per infraction.
The bill also creates a regime of joint liability: if an unauthorized gambling platform remains accessible in Panama, intermediaries that do not implement blocking orders could be considered jointly responsible alongside the illegal operators, widening the potential reach of sanctions.
For gambling platforms themselves, the bill increases penalties. Fines for illegal digital betting platforms would range between $25,000 and $100,000, with possible doubling for repeat offenses. The JCJ would also be able to suspend or revoke licenses and order the blocking of domains and applications. The text gives the JCJ discretion to classify the gravity of infractions and to apply sanctions with an “exemplary” character.
Reaction and Legal Questions
Telecommunications firms such as Cable & Wireless and Tigo were consulted by this outlet but had not responded by the time of publication. Concerns from some lawmakers center on the scope, precision and legal consistency of the proposed measures.
Deputy Lenín Ulate (Vamos) specifically criticized the article targeting telecom companies. “If you ask me, it’s the article that makes me uneasy,” he said, referring to the immediate compliance requirement and the threat of very large fines. Ulate also noted the possible ambiguity in defining which actors are covered and pointed to a potential contradiction with existing JCJ law, which he said currently sets a $100,000 cap on fines. “It cannot go on like that,” he argued, and he abstained on that article during the second debate.
What This Means
Supporters say the bill is intended to curb illegal betting and protect people at risk of gambling addiction. Critics warn it could place heavy compliance burdens on private intermediaries, raise constitutional and legal questions about administrative blocking powers, and broaden regulatory discretion without explicit statutory alignment. The law now awaits signature or veto by President José Raúl Mulino, leaving in place ongoing debate over how Panama will regulate digital gambling and the role of internet intermediaries in content control.