Peru's Ministry of Foreign Trade and Tourism (Mincetur) destroyed 518 illegal slot machines on November 2. Another 203 machines were meant for minors, so destroying them, the ministry said, should keep children and teenagers from early exposure to gambling. The procedure was carried out by Mincetur's Casino and Slot Machine Office (DGJCMT) under notarial supervision.
Of the 518 machines, 315 were seized during inspections between 2009 and 2026 in the regions of Cusco, Pasco, Huánuco, Junín, Lima and La Libertad. Police in Callao and the tax and customs agency SUNAT handed over the rest to Mincetur.
In 2026, the ministry shut down 15 unlicensed gaming halls. Some of them were in hard-to-reach locations.
Last year's operation was bigger. On November 3, 2025, Mincetur destroyed 557 machines: 359 came from unlicensed premises, and 198 were used to give minors access to gambling.
Land-based gaming halls are regulated by Law 27153, which governs licensing for casinos and slot machines. The ministry reminds that organizing or taking part in illegal gambling carries prison terms, administrative penalties and fines. The terms and amounts depend on the current regulatory framework.
Remote games and betting fall under a different regime. Law 31557 was published on August 13, 2022, and established regulation of this sector. The regulator is Mincetur through DGJCMT. The announcement concerns physical equipment in halls, so it does not directly affect online operators working under Law 31557.
Illegal halls can be reported to Mincetur by phone at (01) 513-6113 or by email at [email protected].
