Uruguay moves to block unlicensed operators

Uruguay gambling authority La Dirección Nacional de Loterías y Quinielas (DNLQ) has identified seventeen unlicensed, offshore online betting domains offering services in the market in competition to the country’s authorised monopoly Supermatch.

According to local news outlet, El Pais, the identified sites will be blocked by instruction from the country’s communications regulatory unit, la Unidad Reguladora de Servicios de Comunicaciones (URSEC), to internet service providers within 48 hours of the expiry of a stipulated deadline published in the Official Gazette in which the operators were required to lodge their objection, Luis Gama, Director of DNLQ, said.

El Pais identifies bet365, PokerStars, 888 and bwin as being amongst the seventeen operators.

Back in February, Gama identified bwin and bet365 as being the most visited offshore sports betting operators where its estimated Uruguayans place stakes of between US$10 and US$20 million per annum.

Gama indicated that once the “clean up” had been effected, the State “may” investigate opening up the market to bids from other operators.

The blocks will reportedly begin as soon as next week.