Casinos in Uruguay

Abstract

In Uruguay, the casino industry is an activity that can only be developed directly by the State or through special authorizations (concessions) to private companies. Nevertheless, illegal slot machine operators are also found in the Uruguayan Gaming market: they move outside the legal system (monopoly of the activity by the State), lack all kinds of authorization, control and audits, and offer no type of guarantees to consumers.

The gaming industry has evolved from the traditional way developed in based casinos, to new gaming alternatives such as online gambling. This became very strong in those countries that have regulated online gaming accordingly, opening a new range of options for the development of this type of gaming, being not only a new reality for gambling, but the future of the industry.

Therefore, a discussion has been raised whether the way in which the Uruguayan gaming industry is developed (monopolistic practice) is appropriate, or if, on the contrary, it should be developed openly and freely by the private and public sector.