Uruguay’s DNLQ said 84% of adults had played games of chance or bet at some point, based on a survey conducted from 21 to 24 November 2025. More than 60% of players still used retail outlets, while online gambling accounted for 12% of the market and authorised betting exceeded US$700m in 2025.
The figures show operators and regulators a predominantly retail market alongside a growing but smaller online channel.
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Uruguay’s DNLQ released survey findings on gambling participation and habits among 500 adults, surveyed from 21 to 24 August 2026. It reported that 68% preferred land-based gambling, 12% online gambling and 8% both; 82% said they had gambled or wagered at least once.
AFAL, the union representing Uruguay’s National Directorate of Lotteries and Quinielas staff, opposed requests by CONMEBOL and the Uruguayan Football Association to relax betting-advertising rules for the Copa Libertadores final in Montevideo. The union said the proposed exception could allow international betting companies without Uruguayan operating licences to promote and sponsor the event.
Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva told his Uruguayan counterpart, Yamandú Orsi, that he was interested in learning about Uruguay’s regulation of online betting during a meeting on 21 September. The report says Uruguay’s nationally authorised platform, Supermatch, operates under state supervision and offers sports betting; Lula’s government is preparing a measure to prohibit online casinos in Brazil.
It was reported that Uruguay’s DNLQ plans to introduce artificial intelligence tools to address illegal online betting. The initiative aims to strengthen the authority’s enforcement efforts.
The UK Gambling Commission (UKGC) estimates that 1.4 million adults in Britain, more than 2.5% of the adult population, have a gambling problem. The commission adopted a revised survey measure after a review by a statistics expert; its earlier method produced an estimate of 0.4%. The Betting & Gaming Council questioned the new figure, citing differences in survey methods.