Uruguay Survey Finds 82 of Adults Have Gambled as Land-Based Play Remains Dominant

Uruguay’s gambling regulator has released a new nationwide survey showing that 82% of adults have participated in gambling or betting at least once, while traditional land-based channels continue to dominate despite stronger digital adoption among younger consumers.

Uruguay’s National Directorate of Lotteries and Quinielas (DNLQ) has published new research into gambling habits, participation, spending and perceptions of legal gambling among the country’s adult population.

The survey was conducted between August 21 and 24, 2026 among 500 people aged 18 and over, with the sample structured to represent Uruguay’s adult population. Responses were collected through automated WhatsApp questionnaires supported by telephone monitoring.

Overall, 82% of respondents said they had gambled or placed a bet at least once, compared with 17% who had never done so. Participation was higher among men, at 86%, than women, at 78%. The highest rate was recorded among people aged 45–59 at 88%, while the 18–29 group had the lowest participation rate at 71%.

Traditional gambling remains dominant. Among people who gamble or have gambled, 68% primarily use land-based channels, 12% combine physical and online gambling and 8% play exclusively online. Digital participation is stronger among younger adults, with the 30–44 age group showing the highest relative preference for online gambling.

The 5 de Oro lottery remains the country’s most popular gambling product, mentioned by 62% of players. Tómbola followed with 27%, Quiniela with 25% and Raspadita with 23%. Casino gambling was notably more popular among players aged 18–29, reaching 26% in that age group.

The survey also examined indicators of gambling-related financial risk. 83% said they had never wagered more than they could afford to lose, while 93% reported never borrowing money to gamble and 96% said they had never left ordinary household expenses unpaid because of gambling. However, younger players showed higher exposure to some risk indicators.

Awareness of regulation was also relatively high, with 90% of players saying they knew the gambling products they used were authorized. The figure ranged from 82% among lower-income respondents to 96% in the highest socioeconomic group.

The findings underline the continuing strength of Uruguay’s traditional gambling market while showing a gradual generational shift toward digital channels. For regulators, the challenge will be to accommodate changing consumer behaviour while maintaining oversight of authorized products and focusing prevention efforts on groups showing greater exposure to risky gambling patterns.