Online casinos accepting players from Uruguay
Located in South America, Uruguay shares borders with Argentina to its west and southwest and Brazil to its north and northeast, while bordering the Río de la Plata to the south and the Atlantic Ocean to the southeast. Officially referred to as the Oriental Republic of Uruguay, the country is part of the Southern Cone region of South America.
Players who want to gamble online can do so on the only platform licensed by the government- Supermatch. Offshore gambling websites are blocked, but despite this, a solid number of online casinos accept Uruguayan players.
On the other hand, the land-based casino industry in Uruguay is rather busy, as there’s no cap on the number of venues permitted to run business. Interestingly, it’s quite a popular destination for players from Brazil who are unable to gamble in their own country.
Laws and Regulations
Regarding the legality, since 1995, casinos and slot parlors are jointly run and owned by the private sector and the state via Uruguay casino group Casinos del Estado. This is called “the mixed system”. The only completely privately operated facility is Enjoy Casino & Resort in Punta del Este.
In addition to this, horse casing is permitted off-track and in the online format. As for sports betting, land-based is allowed, and so is online, but only via government monopoly. Standalone slot venues are permitted but machines outside such objects and casinos are grey area.
The iGaming industry is not regulated yet, but significant progress was made in this sector. In January 2022, the ruling party announced that an online gambling bill would be put before the parliament. A couple of months later, in August 2022, the Chamber of Senators voted in favor of the implementation, so the bull was sent to the House of Representatives for further consideration.
If the proposal becomes effective, licensed operators that do not comply with the outlined regulations could receive a warning, be financially penalized (between UYU10,000 (£206.60/€245.20) and UYU100,000 (£2,066/€2,451)) or have their license suspended.
Regulatory bodies in charge include Dirección General de Casinos (Casino Control Board) and La Direccion Nacional de Loterías y Quinielas (the Uruguayan Board of Lotteries and Pools Betting). The lottery is part of the Ministry of Finance. As for taxes, 0.75% on turnover is imposed for all land-based gambling product verticals.
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Player Protection and Responsible Gambling Measures
In August 2017, the Uruguayan Chamber of Deputies passed regulations according to which casino games such as poker, roulette, and slot machines were now prohibited online.
A month later, then President Tabaré Vázquez signed legislation to expressly prohibit interactive casinos and poker. Also, IP / payment blocking on unlicensed interactive operators targeting the jurisdiction was implemented as well, becoming effective on January 1, 2018. By collaborating with a number of different organizations, the National Directorate of Lotteries and Quinielas (DNLQ) began blocking unlicensed offshore interactive operators and payments from foreign online gambling sites. Throughout 2020, a total of 1,414 unlicensed interactive gambling sites were blocked, including numerous renowned corporations.
Based on this, it is evident that the government is putting efforts to maintain a high level of consumer protection by preventing players from visiting offshore platforms. Despite this, quite a solid number of operators accept clients from this region, in which case players are left on their own to evaluate whether it’s safe to gamble on a certain platform or not.
In such cases, it’s of great importance to check a couple of details before playing in real money mode. The good thing is that reputable operators won’t risk their own reputation by scamming players, delaying payments, and causing other issues.
By reputable players we refer to the ones which have the following qualities:
- License and accreditations by test labs
- Multi-channel customer support
- Responsible gambling tools
Slots
Roulette
Blackjack
Video Poker
Payment Methods and Banking
The official currency of Uruguay is the Uruguayan peso (UYU), and some online casinos support it. On the other hand, most casinos accept payments in a large spectrum of currencies, but automatically convert them to EUR or USD, for more convenient and faster calculation.
In September 2022, the executive branch submitted a proposal for the bill to Congress, intending to give the Central Bank of Uruguay (BCU) legal powers to regulate virtual assets. The bill was initially presented by ruling party senator Juan Sartori, in August 2021, giving foundations for the cryptocurrency framework.
If the regulation of crypto and online gambling coincide, players would benefit a lot, as they would be permitted to gamble legally and make deposits/withdraw using cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin, Ethereum, Dogecoin, and others.
When selecting a payment method, players should also check:
- The minimum amounts for deposits and withdrawals (per transaction/day/week/month)
- Obligatory playthrough requirements on straight deposits
- Potential fees on either type of transaction
- Processing timeframes- pending period and overall time needed for money to appear on a player’s balance
- Identity verification procedures
Only when all of these are taken into account, a player will be able to evaluate what’s best for him/her. This policy is either found as a separate section on the casino’s official website or is placed under General Terms and Conditions.
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What Should Players from Uruguay Pay Attention to When Selecting a Casino?
Throughout this guide, we’ve highlighted two of the most significant fields Uruguayan players should take into account when choosing an online casino.
Firstly, if the operator is certified by a relevant regulatory body it means that its entire business is in line with the standards and requirements. In case a problem comes up, a situation can be resolved either with the support team or even with the help of a regulator.
Having in mind that the vast majority of issues with online casinos are connected with payments (refusal to cash out winnings, delayed withdrawals, unreasonable playthrough requirements, and so on), it is of vital importance to be acquainted with banking policy. That’s why each player needs to analyze the abovementioned factors when making up their mind between different methods.
Finally, a games portfolio is what captures one’s attention in the first place, so take time to see which genres are available, and how convenient is to search for the desired games. Also, see what sorts of bonuses are found and if there is a loyalty program and other incentives.
Have fun, and gamble responsibly!
FAQ
Is it legal to gamble online in Uruguay?
Uruguayan players are permitted to gamble on Supermatch, the only platform licensed by the government. Offshore platforms are prohibited from offering services and products to locals, but despite that, players gamble in foreign online casinos.
Is demo play available in Uruguay -friendly online casinos?
Most operators give players a chance to check out games in demo mode even without registration, but some require consumers to register before giving them access to fun play.
Can players from Uruguay gamble on mobile devices?
Absolutely yes, mobile gambling is popular in all corners of the world, and Uruguay is definitely not an exception. While on the move, consumers can play games and claim bonuses.
What are the most popular casino games in Uruguay?
Horse racing and sports betting are widely spread in the country, but when gambling online, Uruguayans like to explore slots, table games, and live dealer games.
What kind of online casino bonuses are there for Uruguayan players?
Welcome bonus available on first and subsequent deposits, usually up to the fourth, is one of the most wanted bonuses. In addition to this, there’s cashback, free spins, match bonuses, reload bonuses, tournaments, and so on.
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