Uruguay weighs unified gambling reform that could create 20,000 jobs and unlock 600m in investment

Uruguay is moving toward a comprehensive overhaul of its gambling laws, with a newly formed industry chamber estimating that a modernised, unified regulatory framework could support up to 20,000 jobs and attract around $600m in fresh economic investment.

Uruguay’s new Frente Amplio government is positioning gambling reform as one of its early economic priorities, with President Yamandú Orsi backing a shift to a single, modern law covering all adult gambling activities

Initial projections from the newly created Chamber for Casino Services Operators and Investors suggest that a restructured regime – including updated rules for land-based casinos and a clearer framework for online gambling – could generate up to 20,000 direct and indirect jobs and unlock roughly $600m in new investment in the medium term.

The chamber, established in December 2025, brings together many of Uruguay’s main casino concession-holders, including Grupo Codere, Baluma S.A. (operator of Enjoy Punta del Este), Compañía Rioplatense de Hoteles (Radisson Montevideo Victoria Plaza), Manteo S.A., Naranpark S.A. and Mirador Campero S.A. It has been tasked with acting as an advisory body to the Orsi administration on gambling policy, focusing on job creation, investment and consumer protection.

Today Uruguay’s gambling framework is fragmented across several statutes, including the Casinos Act, tourism legislation and the 2017 Digital Transformation Act. Online gambling is tightly restricted: state-authorised Supermatch retains the sports-betting concession, while other online casino-style products remain effectively prohibited and unlicensed operators are targeted with blocking orders and payment restrictions.

Industry stakeholders argue that this patchwork no longer reflects market reality, especially as neighbouring countries like Brazil and Argentina roll out broader regulated online markets. They want a unified, “future-ready” law that would harmonise land-based and online rules, strengthen enforcement against unlicensed operators and provide a level playing field for licensed casinos and digital platforms.

Early proposals in Parliament, including a mixed model championed by Senator Felipe Carballo that would create a state-run online platform with limited private participation, have met a cautious response from both the industry chamber and senior Frente Amplio figures, who see them as too narrow and potentially unattractive for long-term investment.

For now, the economic narrative is clear: the Orsi government sees gambling – particularly integrated casino resorts and a regulated online offer – as a tool for tourism growth, regional development and formal job creation. The challenge for lawmakers will be to translate the chamber’s headline figures into a balanced legal framework that protects players, preserves public revenues and still makes Uruguay competitive in an increasingly crowded Latin American gambling landscape.