Santo Domingo, October 27, 2026. The Dominican Republic's Ministry of Labor has granted lottery and betting shop owners 30 calendar days to address labor, sanitation, and workplace safety deficiencies before intensifying nationwide inspections. The directive, signed on October 24 by Labor Minister Eddy Olivares Ortega, covers a sector employing approximately 200,000 workers across more than 110,000 establishments.
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The measure responds to conditions at numerous betting shops operating in small booths, often without bathrooms or adequate facilities, where women make up the majority of employees and work extended shifts. Inspectors will verify accessible sanitation facilities, suitable seating, ventilation, lighting, drinking water, cleanliness, first-aid kits, and fire extinguishers, considering each establishment's characteristics and risks.
Teófilo José Abrahán Leo Tabar Manzur
They will also examine compliance with the statutory minimum wage, working hours, rest periods, formal employment contracts, and enrollment in the Dominican Social Security System (SDSS), established under Law No. 87-01.
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The inspection campaign is based on the Labor Code, Law No. 16-92, its implementing regulations under Decree No. 258-93, and occupational health and safety provisions established by Decree No. 522-06. Olivares reiterated on October 26, during the First National Conference of Dominican Working Women, that protecting female workers remains an institutional priority.
The compliance period does not suspend existing legal obligations or workplace inspections. The Ministry may intervene immediately when risks to employees' health or physical safety are identified. Authorities will subsequently document violations and process applicable penalties.
Magín Díaz
The initiative coincides with the restructuring of the gambling sector under Law No. 86-26, published on October 2, which established the General Directorate of Gambling (DGJA), attached to the Ministry of Finance and Economy, headed by Magín Díaz.
President Luis Abinader appointed Teófilo José Abrahán Leo Tabar Manzur, known as Quico Tabar, as transitional Director General of the DGJA through Decree No. 684-26. He was sworn in on October 5. The DGJA oversees gambling activities, while the Ministry of Labor retains responsibility for enforcing workplace conditions.
