Mincetur has ordered 33 illegal gambling venues shut in Peru this year

Peru’s tourism and trade ministry has raided six clandestine gambling venues in two regions, seizing 44 slot machines and 41 computers used for unauthorised online sports betting. The Ministerio de Comercio Exterior y Turismo (Mincetur) announced the raids in a press release on 11 October 2026. The release did not say on which dates they took place.

The ministry’s casino and slot machine directorate carried them out with the National Police of Peru.

The details

• Chiclayo, Lambayeque region: three venues were raided and 32 slot machines seized.
• José Luis de Crespo y Castillo district, Leoncio Prado province, Huánuco region: three venues were raided, with 12 slot machines and 41 computers seized. Mincetur says the computers were used for online sports betting without authorisation.
• Minors: inspectors also found slot machines intended for minors, which Mincetur says Peruvian law expressly prohibits.

The ministry cited three laws as the basis: Law 27153 on casino games and slot machines, Law 31557 on remote games and sports betting, and Law 29149, which penalises slot machine activity aimed at minors.

Mincetur says it reminded the public that organising, promoting or taking part in illegal gambling can bring prison sentences in addition to administrative and financial penalties, depending on the offence. It asked the public to report clandestine gambling to the ministry.

Why it matters

The ministry says it has ordered 19 illegal sports betting shops and 14 clandestine slot rooms closed so far in 2026, a total of 33. The latest raids reached both slot rooms and unauthorised online sports betting, which Law 31557 covers.

The release does not name the owners or operators of the venues, say whether any proceedings have been opened against them, or give any fines imposed this year.