Uruguay Betting Sites

Uruguay is a country in the southeastern region of South America. It has an estimated population of around 3.5 million. It is the birthplace of legendary football players Luis Suarez and Diego Forlan. Gambling in Uruguay started with the first legal lottery in the 1850s; a few decades after the inception of the National Directorate of Lotteries and Polls (DNLQ) in 1819. Sports betting also became a common pastime for many Uruguayans.

Nowadays, the only licensed online bookmaker is Supermatch, a brand owned by La Banca. International betting sites in Uruguay are practically illegal, but the law is not enforced on players who place their bets on well-established bookmakers.

Top Uruguay Bookmakers

If you are looking for a good bookmaker; below you will find the top betting sites in Uruguay. The following offer a wide range of betting options on the Uruguayan Primera División; along with the highest odds and daily promotions.

Gambling in Uruguay - 5 Things to Know

• 1
  The legal gambling age in Uruguay is 18
• 2
  Annual online gambling revenue is circa $850 million
• 3
  Top international bookmakers are accessible to Uruguayans
• 4
  Only one betting site, Supermatch, operates online legally
• 5
  Betting winnings aren’t taxed up to $372,873 or 71 times the sum of the stake

General info

⏩Population: 3.510.000

⏩Active players: 500.000

⏩Currency: Uruguayan peso (UYU)

⏩Regulated gambling products: Sports betting, lottery, horse racing, casino games

⏩Designated authority: National Directorate of Lotteries and Pools (DNLQ)

⏩Operator types: Licensed online bookie, unlicensed online bookmakers & casinos, land-based betting shops & casinos

⏩Status: Semi-regulated

Uruguay Sports Betting: Is it Legal?

The first legislation on gambling goes back to 1882, and law no. 1595. The responsible body for regulating gambling activities in Uruguay is the National Directorate of Lotteries and Pools. Decree No.366/017 came into effect in January 2018. Still, online gambling in Uruguay remains unregulated. La Banca holds the only Uruguay gambling license for online betting.

However, there are no Uruguayan gambling laws that prevent players from betting on top international bookmakers. In Uruguay, the gambling tax is 0.75% of the total betting sum. Plus, a 12% tax applies on winnings; if the profit exceeds 71 times the staked amount or $372,873. For operators; there is a general income tax of 25% and up to 1.5% wealth tax.

Essential Information for Uruguayan Bettors

Locals are obliged to gamble only on licensed Uruguay betting sites. However, the authorities haven't prosecuted any of those who choose to place their bets on non-licensed international betting sites. In 2017 the government passed a law in order to ban offshore online gambling sites from operating in Uruguay. This, however, does not affect the best betting sites on a global level; which hold licenses from acclaimed gambling authorities.

How to Deposit at Online Bookies

Gambling is legal in Uruguay, and debit/credit cards are the most popular deposit methods among players. On the contrary, players who opt for international bookies; prefer to deposit through e-wallets, such as Skrill, Neteller and EcoPayz. Payoneer Gambling is also well-established and adopted in Uruguay.

Bettors know that with e-wallets, their personal details will remain undisclosed, and this is why they avoid cards or bank wire. For localized content, currency, and deposit methods, you might want to check out what is considered local bookmakers that offer all these services.

The Future of Sports Betting in Uruguay

With only one licensed online betting site, Supermatch (a brand of the state-controlled La Banca); the regulation of the online gambling market is more important now than ever before. That’s because most bettors opt for international online gambling sites in Uruguay that still aren’t locally licensed; but offer higher odds, more betting markets and better promotions than the local licensee.

Gambling in Neighbouring Countries

Even though Uruguay is surrounded by countries that have huge betting markets, they do not all share the same outlook and regulations on gambling. Some of its neighbours have black market betting, while others have restrictions on certain online bookmakers. It is wise to take a look at the situation in each of these countries to avoid common mistakes and stay out of trouble:

⏩ Argentina: has one of the most complex legislations coming to light at the moment, as gambling is legal in some provinces and not in others. You can find licensed internet and land-based gambling comprised of local and international operators. In addition, some of the Argentina betting sites offer unlicensed sports betting, which locals are free to access. 

⏩ Brazil: is both the largest country and betting market in South America, but it has been struggling to legalise gambling. All land-based and international operators are in the grey with no licensing authority in place, while the Brazil betting sites are comprised of very different kinds of bookmakers. 

⏩ Paraguay: has a semi-regulated gambling scene, with licensed land-based casinos and bookmakers and no monitoring of international companies. Operating an online bookmaker is illegal, but betting sites in Paraguay are accessible without restrictions.