Uruguayan Senator Felipe Carballo has introduced legislation in the Senate of Uruguay aimed at establishing a regulatory framework for online gambling in the country.
The bill proposes the creation of a State Online Gambling Platform operated by the National Directorate of Lotteries and Pools, which would be responsible for offering, regulating and monitoring online gambling services.
Under the proposal, a new independent body – the National Online Gambling Regulatory Agency – would also be created with powers to issue licences, audit gambling platforms and algorithms, monitor financial transactions and enforce penalties against non-compliant operators.
The legislation would require all online players to register on a national database and set personalised spending limits, while ensuring financial traceability of gambling transactions. Operating an online gambling service without a licence would become a criminal offence.
“For us, this is a central issue. There have been other initiatives in previous periods, including one presented by my political party’s caucus (Frente Amplio) in the Senate during the last term, as well as by the previous Executive Branch, and none of them succeeded,” Carballo told Uruguayan media outlet El Telegrafo.
Uruguay’s regulatory woes
The senator also highlighted concerns around public health and underage gambling, noting the growing number of minors accessing betting services online.
According to Carballo, the National Directorate of Lotteries and Pools currently blocks more than 150 illegal gambling websites each day.
He argued that the Uruguayan state, which legally owns gambling operations in the country, should have stronger oversight of the online market and capture more of the sector’s revenues for public programmes.
Carballo said the proposed bill is intended as a starting point for parliamentary debate, with the aim of replacing Uruguay’s current gambling legislation, which dates back to the 19th century.
He intends to discuss the proposal “at the parliamentary level in 2026”.
This is not the first attempt Carballo has had to regulate online gambling in the country. As recently as November 2025, his proposal to bring online gambling under the control of the state fell short of President Yamandú Orsi’s vision for a balanced and fair market.
Orsi has pledged to solve the issue regarding online gambling regulation and this newest development could be the one which sets the wheels in motion for Uruguay to follow in the footsteps of fellow Latin American countries which are seeing extensive gambling activity under a regulated system.
Uruguayan Senator Felipe Carballo has introduced legislation in the Senate of Uruguay aimed at establishing a regulatory framework for online gambling in the country. The bill proposes the creation of a State Online Gambling Platform operated by the National Directorate of Lotteries and Pools, which would be responsible for offering, regulating and monitoring online gambling