Paraguay has begun enforcing its new sports betting monopoly, although the companies facing the authorities’ wrath aren’t going without a fight.

In March, Paraguay’s National Commission of Games of Chance (Conajzar) confirmed the awarding of a five-year monopoly license to Daruma Sam S.A. to operate sports betting under its Apostala (Aposta.la) brand. The monopoly took effect last month and the authorities have begun taking action against the nine betting licensees whose operations are now forbidden.

Last week, local media outlet RDN quoted legal representatives of two betting firms, Montego SA and Enfield, which operate under the Crown and Aspotamina brands, respectively, relating how their premises were visited by agents of the National Police and Public Prosecutor, reportedly at Conajzar’s request.

Both firms were operating under a judicial order while their legal challenge of the constitutionality of Conajzar’s decision is before the courts. Montego SA’s lawyer Paola Villalba maintains that the raids were intended to discredit Daruma Sam’s rivals by instructing the public that their operations were illegal.