Uruguay has one of South America’s oldest and most state-centred gambling cultures: a lottery tradition reaching back to 1819, century-old grand casinos like Casino Carrasco (1921), and a nation so devoted to football that sports betting - run by the state through Supermatch - sits alongside horse racing, the quiniela and coastal casino glamour in Punta del Este.

A long history under the state

Gambling in Uruguay was institutionalised early. The first lottery draw was held in 1819, in the era before full independence, originally tied to charitable funding for a hospital and orphaned children. The early 20th century produced landmark venues: the Casino Parque Hotel, which opened in 1909 and is often cited as one of South America’s first casinos, and the iconic Casino Carrasco, inaugurated on 4 February 1921. Casino Carrasco was later restored and today operates as part of the Sofitel Montevideo hotel.

Throughout, the state has been the central actor. Rather than licensing a competitive private industry, Uruguay built a public-monopoly model: the lottery, quiniela and sports betting run through the Dirección Nacional de Loterías y Quinielas and La Banca, while state casinos fall under the Dirección General de Casinos.

The games Uruguayans play

Gambling here is woven into everyday life through a handful of enduring formats:

  • Football (soccer) betting - the dominant form, matching the country’s football obsession.
  • Horse racing - a traditional favourite with a long track history.
  • Quiniela - the classic numbers game, sold through a nationwide agency network.
  • 5 de Oro - a popular national lottery draw.
  • Casino table games and slots - concentrated in Montevideo and the resort city of Punta del Este, home to glamorous casino floors that draw regional visitors.

Punta del Este glamour

Uruguay’s Atlantic resort of Punta del Este is a byword for upscale leisure, and its casinos are part of that appeal. During the southern-hemisphere summer the town fills with visitors from across the region, and the casino floors are a fixture of its nightlife alongside beaches, dining and events.

Attitudes and responsible gambling

Uruguay is a secular, socially liberal society, and state-run gambling is widely accepted as ordinary leisure. That acceptance now comes paired with a stronger focus on harm prevention: the DNLQ and La Banca run a Juego Responsable programme, and 2026 reforms have tightened requirements around identity verification, self-exclusion and responsible-gaming standards. The cultural stance is best summed up as relaxed enjoyment within a firmly regulated, public-interest framework.

Gambling can be addictive. Players must be 18+. If gambling stops being fun, use self-exclusion tools and seek professional support.

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