Paraguay’s top gambling regulator is under fire for awarding a monopoly sports betting concession even after the national comptroller identified irregularities in the bidding process.

Last week, Javier Balbuena, president of the Conajzar (National Gaming Commission), announced that Daruma Sam SA had won the competition to become Paraguay’s sole authorized sports betting provider. Daruma, which operates under the Aposta.la brand, has been taking wagers in Paraguay since 2014.

On Tuesday, local media outlet ABC Color reported that Paraguay’s Office of the Comptroller General of the Republic (CGR) was protesting Conajzar’s decision, having identified ‘irregularities’ in the bidding process, which prompted CGR to file three separate complaints with Conajzar.

The CGR had urged Conajzar to suspend the tender so that these irregularities could be probed further, but Balbuena (pictured) refused. CGR chief Enrique García admitted that his office had no formal enforcement powers to prevent the concession being awarded, but said he wasn’t ruling out pursuing judicial action against Balbuena.