New Uruguayan Gambling Laws Create Government Gaming Monopoly

The Uruguayan government has drafted a bill aimed at centralizing government control over all forms of gambling within the country.

The new package of Uruguayan gambling laws will create two government agencies that will concentrate the activities of the current Directorate General of State Casinos and the National Lotteries (la Dirección General de Casinos del Estado y la Dirección Nacional de Loterías y Quinielas) and have complete control over all casinos, lotteries and other forms of traditional, online, and mobile gambling in Uruguay.

During yesterday’s appearance before the Financial Committee of the Uruguayan House of Representatives, the current head of state casinos, Javier Chá, fully endorsed the new Uruguayan gambling monopoly. The new Uruguayan gambling law, put forth by the Nationalist political party deputy Jorge Gandini, will be shortly sent to Parliament where it is expected to be approved.

The draft of the new Uruguayan gambling law calls for the creation of a new agency – the National Administration of Gambling Casinos and the State (Administración Nacional de Casinos y Juegos de Apuestas del Estado).

The agency, will be headed by Javier Chá and will take over the management and day-to-day operations of all casinos, horse racing, lotteries and Online gambling sites in Uruguay.

The new Uruguayan gambling law calls for the creation of the National Office of the Comptroller of Gaming and Betting under the Ministry of Economy and Finance, which will be responsible for issuing licenses, permits and other authorizations for new gambling ventures in Uruguay.

The government also announced that all online casinos in Uruguay, internet games of chance, gaming over interactive TV and mobile gambling in Uruguay will come under the control of the new monopoly.

The use of credit cards, bank transfers, and gambling advertising will come under the control of the new monopoly as well.

Under the law, all the current staff of the Directorate General of State Casinos and the National Lotteries under Javier Chá, will continue working but now under the new government monopoly. 

All prior contracts, financial obligations and legal relationships are still valid and will continue to be honored by the new Uruguayan gambling monopoly.