Uruguay has established an ‘industry chamber’ assigned to help the government develop economic opportunities and investment from gambling and casinos.
The Chamber will support the Frente Amplio (FA) government’s mandate to modernise Uruguay gambling laws, as an election pledge of President Yamandú Orsi.
Media agencies were informed that the chamber will work under the title of “The Uruguay Chamber of Casino Service Operators and Investors”.
Returning to power in March 2025, President Orsi and the FA cabinet have prioritised the need to bolster investment in Uruguay’s economy, and boost private sector funding of infrastructure and better job creation.
As detailed by SBC Noticias The Chamber brings together Uruguay’s key concession-holders, including “Grupo Codere; Baluma S.A. (Enjoy Punta del Este); Compañía Rioplatense de Hoteles (Radisson Montevideo Victoria Plaza); Manteo S.A. (Hotel Casino Rivera); Naranpark S.A. (Salto Hotel Casino); and Mirador Campero S.A. (Hotel Santa Cristina).”
Former General Manager of the Directorate of Lotteries and Quinielas, Luis Alberto Gama Hernández, has been appointed as Executive Secretary of the Chamber that will review investment opportunities within casino, online gambling, sports betting, bingo, instant win games and gaming halls.
Local press reported that the Chamber seeks to provide “an organised, technical, and representative voice” capable of collaborating with government to build a modern, balanced and investment-friendly regulatory framework.
Its priorities include creating a consistent system for concessions, harmonising rules across regions, strengthening oversight and ensuring responsible-gambling standards meet international benchmarks.
Industry stakeholders describe the current moment as a “crossroads for Uruguay”. While casino and hospitality investment continues to accelerate, the absence of a comprehensive online gambling framework has generated regulatory fragmentation, leaving the market behind regional peers such as Argentina, Brazil and Chile.
Parliament is set to review the online gambling bill introduced by Senator Felipe Carballo, which proposes a State Online Gaming Platform operated directly by the National Directorate of Lotteries and Quinielas (NDLQ), with limited private-sector involvement through mixed-licence arrangements.
However, the proposal is understood to have underwhelmed the FA leadership, with senior figures signalling discomfort over a hybrid model that does not align with the coalition’s broader economic and development programme.
Concerns focus on whether a mixed state-private structure would deliver sufficient investment, provide robust oversight or risk adding institutional complexity at a time when the government is seeking long-term consistency and regulatory cohesion.
In this setting, the newly formed Chamber is expected to play a significant advisory and political role as Uruguay decides the direction of its online gambling framework.
A consolidated industry presence positions it to influence whether the FA ultimately favours a fully state-led system, a hybrid model or a more open, investment-driven approach aligned with the country’s ambitions for modernisation and sector growth.
