Ecuador is located in the northwest of South America; to the north of it is Colombia, south of it is Peru and to the west is the Pacific ocean. Over the last few years, the topic about betting sites in Ecuador has started to attracts much attention from people especially those who love sports and other gambling activities. This blog post aims at providing a broad understanding of the betting sites in Ecuador including the legal situation, the sports betting, online betting platform and the achievements in the sporting industry.
Table of Contents
Summary of Key Events
History of Gambling Laws in Ecuador
However, over the years, the laws regulating gambling in Ecuador have evolved in one way or the other. Here’s a brief overview
- 2011: With the issuance of the Executive Decree No. 873, gambling was outlawed in Ecuador, hence all forms of it were banned. This created the closure of all the casinos and gambling establishments as a result of the fire outbreak.
- May 7, 2011: A plebiscite was conducted and 52 per cent of the total number of voters said yes to the ban of gambling establishments.
- October 2013: The Comprehensive Organic Penal Code categorised the running of the land based gambling/body as unlawful.
Regulatory of Betting Sites in Ecuador
As for gambling, it is rather controlled and regulated by the government of Ecuador. The only organisation that was excluded from the ban of 2011 is the state owned lottery, Lotería Nacional. This entity is in charge of the licensing of the only form of gambling allowed in the country which is the lottery retailing. The regulation of the framework in a way that any form of gambling shall always be under watch so that it does not involve in any unlawful activities.
- Lotería Nacional is the only legal organization that regulates the operations of lottery in the country.
- This is because Comprehensive Organic Penal Code implements the prohibition of other forms of gambling.
Prohibited and Permitted Bets
- Prohibited Bets
- Casinos and Slot Machines: Aquatic since 2011.
- Online Gambling: None that apply specifically, but it is generally frowned upon and considered against the law.
- Sports Betting: Still not legal but are under the process of being considered for legalization.
- Permitted Bets
- National Lottery: The only allow type of gambling.
- Bingo: Legal if formed to carry out activities for the benefit of the public.
- Horse Racing: Legal, but heavily controlled.
Gambling Licenses and Fees
Due to the strict laws, the possibility of getting a gambling license in Ecuador is not available for now.
- Gambling Licenses: From Lotería Nacional one can only get lottery retailer licenses.
- Fees: There is no provision of other types of gambling licenses fees for the reason of prohibition of gambling in this country.
Gambling Taxes in Ecuador
Taxation on gambling in Ecuador is straightforward due to the limited scope of legal gambling activities:
- Gambling Tax: Like most countries, there is no such tax as a gambling tax.
- Tax on Winnings: Gambling wins are not taxed.
Best Betting Sites in Ecuador
Top Picks
However, there are some of the international betting sites which still accept Ecuadorian players despite the legal setbacks. Thus, here are the three best:
Up To £130 + £5 Free Bets
Up To £120 + £30 Free Bets
Up To £100
Major Happenings in Ecuador Sports.
Thus, Ecuador is known to have a rather developed sports culture and has hosted many significant events.
- 1924: The first experience of Ecuador in Olympics was in the framework of summer Olympics in Paris.
- 2002, 2006, 2014: The Ecuador National Football Team got to the FIFA World Cup.
- 1996, 2008: Jefferson Perez was able to clinch the gold and silver medals in the Men’s 20-km Walk at the Atlanta and Beijing Olympic Games respectively.
Sports Star Glory
Currently, Ecuador has a number of sports individuals who have performed well in the global markets.
- Antonio Valencia: Ex-captain of the Ecuador national football team; a player who played for Manchester United.
- Jefferson Montero: A football player who is famous for his dribbling, and is currently affiliated to Swansea City team.
- Gabriela Perez: Recreationist who serves as a volleyball player that clinched a bronze medal in the Olympics held in the year 2004.
Gambling Laws in Neighbouring Country
Knowing the rules of the neighboring countries might help to better comprehend the general situation.
Colombia:
- Introduced online gambling in 2016.
- Regulated by Coljuegos.
- Provides licenses for the different types of gambling services.
Peru:
- Well-regulated gambling market.
- The tourism promotion and foreign trade are monitored by the Ministry of Foreign Trade and Tourism.
- Both forms of gambling are allowed; online and land based.
Brazil:
- Gambling laws are stricter in this aspect.
- Recent trends that are liberalizing the betting on sports.
- Supervised by The Ministry of Economy.
Conclusion
The current situation with the gambling and betting sites in Ecuador is rather complicated due to the history of strict laws and their changes. Although the conventional gambling is prohibited, the online betting is still legal and super popular among the Ecuadorians giving them a chance to place the bets on sports.
FAQ of Betting Sites in Ecuador
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