Despite increasing regulations on sports betting and gambling in Peru, illegal operations continue to thrive. Recent police crackdowns in Huánuco have exposed underground betting establishments operating without authorization from the Ministry of Foreign Trade and Tourism (Mincetur), raising concerns over unregulated gambling activities.
In the latest operation, Fiscal Police agents from the Criminal Investigation Department, in coordination with the Public Ministry, raided two illegal betting houses in Amarilis, Huánuco. One of the establishments, Bolitas Sports Betting, was located in a three-story building on Jirón Mariscal Castilla No. 137. The second, identified as Puertas Deportivas, operated in the San Luis sector, Jirón 14 de Septiembre.
During the raids, officers arrested Pedro Miguel Tacuchi Acosta (30) and Fredy Barrantes Baylón (55) for their alleged involvement in economic crimes. Authorities also seized 33 computers, 11 televisions, 26 mice, 27 keyboards, six thermal scanners, and two slot machines in questionable condition.
A few days earlier, a similar operation was conducted in the district of Molino, Pachitea province, where two individuals were detained for running unauthorized gambling establishments. The police confiscated 12 computers, 11 mice, three scanners, nine televisions, two thermal printers, and 2,966 soles in cash.
Peru’s Law No. 31557, amended by Law No. 31806, establishes strict regulations on remote gambling and sports betting to ensure consumer protection and prevent money laundering. However, illegal gambling houses continue to bypass these regulations, putting bettors at risk of fraud and financial losses.
Authorities have ramped up enforcement efforts, but as history has shown, there will always be those willing to operate outside the law. The challenge remains in strengthening oversight mechanisms while educating consumers on the risks of engaging with unauthorized gambling sites.
