Peruvian Bill Proposes Lifting Online Betting ISC Rate from 1% to 5% on Public Health Grounds

Peruvian lawmakers have introduced a bill that would lift the Selective Consumption Tax on online gaming and sports betting from 1% to 5%. The proposal was presented by deputies from Partido Cívico Obras at the instigation of Luis Aurelio Masco Cáceres. It keeps the existing taxable base and all rules governing calculation, declaration, collection, payment and enforcement.

The higher rate would apply to the value of each wager, defined as money or a bonus valued in money. The bill distinguishes this ISC from the separate 12% tax on remote gaming and sports betting under Law 31557, which stays unchanged. Land-based casinos, slot halls and physical betting sites are unaffected. Domestic and foreign platforms would face the same nominal rate, with current rules on when foreign-platform activity counts as consumed in Peru left intact.

As reported by G3 Newswire, the explanatory memorandum cites Ministry of Health data recording 14,409 instances of healthcare attention for gambling addiction in 2025. It argues that digital access and advertising justify stronger prevention measures aimed at adolescents, young people and vulnerable groups. The bill creates no new treatment programmes and earmarks no revenue; prevention and care remain within existing budgets and institutional roles.

Recognised Operational Risks

The memorandum notes that operators could absorb the higher tax, pass it to players or share the cost. It identifies possible changes in betting activity and substitution toward other platforms as risks that require assessment. These admissions highlight limits in the current drafting, which contains no dedicated mitigation steps or earmarked funds to address the very harms cited as justification.

Forward Legislative Outlook

If enacted, the law would enter into force the day after publication, with the 5% rate applying to operations whose tax liability arises from the first calendar day of the following month. The proposal’s narrow focus on online channels while leaving the broader tax regime untouched sets a specific test for how Peruvian authorities weigh addiction data against market behaviour. Operators and regulators alike will watch whether the bill advances in its current form or incorporates adjustments to the acknowledged substitution and absorption risks.

Reporting: G3 Newswire

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