Legal casino gambling age in EcuadorEcuador combines a long-standing prohibition of casino gambling with a recently built licensing regime for online sports betting. Casinos and gaming halls were banned after a national referendum on 7 May 2011 and closed in 2012, and running a casino or a business dedicated to games of chance is a criminal offence under the Organic Comprehensive Penal Code (COIP). Sports betting, which Ecuadorian law calls “sports predictions” (pronósticos deportivos), has followed a different path. Since July 2024 operators have paid a special 15% income tax and withheld 15% from players’ winnings. In December 2024 a licence was introduced, and the Organic Law of Sport of 2026 and its implementing regulation now set out a full licensing system run by the sports authority. Online casino games have not been legalised: in May 2026 the State Attorney General’s Office confirmed that games of chance remain unlawful whether offered physically or digitally.
Key points
- Casinos, gaming halls and businesses dedicated to games of chance are prohibited. Article 236 of the COIP (2014) punishes anyone who runs or sets them up with one to three years’ imprisonment.
- Online sports betting is treated as a separate, lawful activity. Operators must hold a licence from the sports authority, which costs 655 unified basic salaries a year (USD 315,710 in 2026) and lasts up to five years.
- Operators pay a single 15% income tax on bets received minus prizes paid, and withhold 15% from players’ winnings. A 15% VAT also applies to digital betting services.
- Online casino games are not covered by the sports betting licence. The State Attorney General’s Office stated in May 2026 that games of chance are unlawful in any form, including digital.
- Proposals to bring casinos back to five-star hotels by referendum were withdrawn in 2024 and did not reach the ballot in November 2025.
Last reviewed: 6 October 2026.
Top Rated Online Casinos for Ecuador
Vegas Casino Online
Sign Up400% up to
$500
Liberty Slots Casino
Sign Up100% up to
$259
Sloto'Cash Casino
Sign Up100% up to
$500
Lucky Tiger Casino
Sign Up250% up to
$1,000
Shazam Casino
Sign Up250% up to
$2,500
Casino Brango
Sign Up500% up to
$/€100
+ 500 Spins
Vegas Casino Online
Sign Up400% up to
$500
Liberty Slots Casino
Sign Up100% up to
$259
Sloto'Cash Casino
Sign Up100% up to
$500
Lucky Tiger Casino
Sign Up250% up to
$1,000
Shazam Casino
Sign Up250% up to
$2,500
Casino Brango
Sign Up500% up to
$/€100
+ 500 Spins
Historical development
Before 2011 Ecuador had a legal casino sector. Casinos operated mainly in hotels, alongside a large number of slot machine and gaming halls. According to Yogonet, there were 32 legally established casinos and more than 150 official gaming halls in 2011, with about 3,200 people employed in the legal casinos. An industry association quoted by Bloomberg Línea later put the number of gaming establishments at about 160, employing around 25,000 workers; these industry estimates have not been independently verified.
The turning point was the referendum and popular consultation of 7 May 2011, called by President Rafael Correa. One of its questions asked: “Do you agree that businesses dedicated to games of chance, such as casinos and gaming halls, should be prohibited in the country?” According to a study published in the USFQ Law Review (Albán Sánchez, Eguiguren Chiriboga and Seminario Vélez, 2024), the “yes” side won with about 52% (3,951,787 votes) against 48% (3,599,093 votes).
The result was implemented by executive decree. A decree published in September 2011 ordered illegal gaming halls to close immediately and gave licensed casinos a final, non-extendable period of six months to wind down (Yogonet, 2011). The last eight casinos closed at midnight on 16 March 2012, after 24 others and about 100 gaming halls had already shut, according to La República, which reported that about 3,000 people lost their jobs. The prohibition was later written into the criminal code that took effect in 2014.
Online sports betting grew in the gap left by the ban. Because the 2011 question and the COIP referred to casinos, gaming halls and games of chance, betting websites argued that predicting sports results depends on knowledge rather than pure luck. In 2019 the State Attorney General’s Office (Procuraduría General del Estado, PGE), the body that issues binding legal opinions to public institutions, accepted that the gambling prohibition applies only to games whose results are determined exclusively by chance (USFQ Law Review, 2024). Betting platforms then expanded without specific regulation until 2023.
Legal framework
Ecuador is a unitary state, and gambling is regulated at national level. The main instruments are:
- Organic Comprehensive Penal Code (COIP), published in Registro Oficial Supplement 180 of 10 February 2014. Article 236 provides that a person who “administers, puts into operation or establishes casinos, gaming halls, betting houses or businesses dedicated to games of chance” shall be punished with one to three years’ imprisonment, as quoted by García González et al. (2025). Commentators, including Expreso (March 2026), report that the article also punishes those who simulate non-profit activities while running such games for profit with three to five years.
- Supreme Decree No. 130 (published in the Registro Oficial in January 1938, according to Expreso), still cited by the PGE, which prohibits games “in which there is a stake or money is risked” and whose outcome depends on chance.
- Organic Law for the Strengthening of the Family Economy (2023), a decree-law that created the single income tax on sports prediction operators, described below.
- Executive Decree No. 487 (signed 19 December 2024), which amended the tax regulations and introduced the sports betting licence.
- Organic Law of Sport, Physical Education and Recreation, published in Sixth Supplement No. 223 of the Registro Oficial on 11 February 2026 (Lexis), and its General Regulation, issued by Executive Decree No. 422 in June 2026.
The central legal distinction is between games of chance, which remain prohibited, and sports predictions, which are now regulated. The PGE reaffirmed this line in May 2026. According to Expreso (13 May 2026), it confirmed that games of chance have an unlawful object in civil law, even when they are not run for profit, and that the only lawful exceptions are those expressly authorised, such as the lottery of the Junta de Beneficencia de Guayaquil and certain raffles held during civic festivities.
Regulator and licensing model
Ecuador follows a prohibition model for casino games and a licensing model for sports betting. “Licensing” means that any qualifying operator may apply for authorisation, with no fixed cap on numbers; “prohibition” means that no authorisation can be granted at all. There is no dedicated gambling regulator. Tax compliance is overseen by the Internal Revenue Service (Servicio de Rentas Internas, SRI), and licensing is the responsibility of the national sports authority, which Meythaler & Zambrano identify as the Ministry of Education and Sport.
The licence was created by Executive Decree No. 487, published in the Second Supplement to Registro Oficial No. 709 on 23 December 2024 (Lexis). It named the Licence for the Operation of Sports Predictions (LOPD) as the only title enabling the activity in Ecuador. According to the law firm NMS, the licence lasts five years and carries an annual fee of 655 unified basic salaries (SBU), payable in the first 20 days of each year. The SBU is the national minimum monthly wage. Primicias put the fee at USD 307,850 for 2025.
The Organic Law of Sport, approved by the National Assembly on 19 December 2025 with 84 votes (National Assembly), gave the regime a statutory basis. It defines sports prediction operators as natural or legal persons resident in Ecuador who carry out the activity through authorised digital platforms or physical points. It requires every bet, deposit and payout to be traceable to an identified user (Expreso, December 2025). The law took effect on publication on 11 February 2026 (Primicias).
Executive Decree No. 422, the law’s General Regulation, was issued in mid-June 2026; reported dates range from 12 to 16 June. According to El Diario and the law firm Meythaler & Zambrano, its main features are:
- Licence. A licence from the sports authority is the only enabling title. It is valid for up to five years, renewable, and the annual fee remains 655 SBU, or USD 315,710 in 2026. The authority keeps a public register of licensed operators.
- Eligibility. Foreign operators must establish a branch in Ecuador. Applicants must show legal standing, tax compliance for the last three fiscal years, financial capacity, control of their brand and domain, and technical certifications.
- Anti-money laundering. Operators are reporting entities before the Financial and Economic Analysis Unit (UAFE), and a complementary anti-money-laundering unit is to be created within six months.
- Payment limits. According to Primicias, single bets are capped at USD 1,000 by bank transfer, USD 350 by credit card and USD 500 in cash, with monthly ceilings for each method.
- Transition. Operators already active had 90 days to apply and prove tax compliance. Primicias gave the deadline as 11 September 2026 and reported that secondary rules are due by 9 December 2026.
Before the licence regime, the SRI’s register was the only official count of operators. In August 2024 iGaming Business reported that 65 operators had registered for the betting tax, only two of them foreign, and quoted an SRI official as saying that the number of active operators was “far higher”. We could not find a published list of licences granted under Decree No. 422 as of 6 October 2026.
Online gambling: what is permitted and how it is enforced
Sports betting. Online sports betting is lawful when offered by an operator holding a licence from the sports authority and complying with its tax obligations. Players must be adults and must be identified and verified; anonymous betting is not permitted under the Organic Law of Sport.
Online casino games. Slots, roulette, card games and other casino-style games are not covered by the sports betting licence. According to an analysis by the law firm Heka Abogados reported by Yogonet (May 2026), the regulation states that the licence does not enable the provision of casinos, bingo, lotteries or betting in general. Primicias reported that the PGE’s May 2026 opinion treats games of chance as unlawful whether carried on physically, digitally or by any other means. It noted that virtual casinos, some reachable through betting sites, continued to operate. Online casino games therefore have no lawful route to the Ecuadorian market, although we found no reports of criminal enforcement against offshore websites.
Enforcement tools include:
- Blocking. “Blocking” means requiring internet service providers to make a website or app inaccessible. Decree No. 422 allows the sports authority to suspend operations, block domains, deactivate apps and suspend payment methods of unlicensed or non-compliant platforms (El Diario, June 2026). The SRI had already warned in 2024 that it would seek to block the IP addresses of unregistered offshore operators (iGaming Business, 2024). We found no official figures on the number of sites blocked so far.
- Criminal law. Article 236 of the COIP applies to anyone who runs a casino, gaming hall, betting house or business dedicated to games of chance. The enforcement reported in the sources reviewed concerns physical premises: Primicias reported that a casino in Guayaquil was closed in February 2026, reopened in March and closed again in April.
- Advertising. Article 56 of the Regulation to the Organic Law of Communication, issued in August 2023, prohibits “all types of system of betting or sports predictions” in advertising (Focus Gaming News, 2023). Decree No. 422 sets rules for licensed operators: no advertising aimed at or featuring minors, no false promises of income, mandatory responsible gaming messages, and joint liability for influencers who promote unlicensed platforms. The sources reviewed do not explain how the 2023 ban and the 2026 rules are to be reconciled, and this point should be treated as unsettled.
Position of players
The criminal offence in Article 236 of the COIP is aimed at those who administer, operate or establish gambling businesses. We found no provision in the sources reviewed that makes it an offence for a player to place a bet or to use an unlicensed website, and no reported case of a player being prosecuted or fined for doing so. El Diario (2025) described online casino play as a legal “grey zone”.
The absence of a penalty does not mean the activity is protected. Because the PGE treats games of chance as having an unlawful object in civil law, gambling debts and claims arising from casino play are unlikely to be enforceable in Ecuadorian courts. Players using unlicensed sites have no access to the guarantees, identity checks, complaint systems or self-exclusion tools that Decree No. 422 requires of licensed operators. They also remain subject to Ecuadorian tax on digital services and winnings, described below. Under the Organic Law of Sport, sports organisations, directors, athletes, coaches and related parties may not bet, directly or indirectly, on competitions in which they are involved.
Taxation
Operators
The single income tax on sports prediction operators (Impuesto a la Renta Único a los Operadores de Pronósticos Deportivos) was created by the decree-law for the Strengthening of the Family Economy, issued by President Guillermo Lasso on 17 May 2023 and reviewed by the Constitutional Court on 16 June 2023, according to LexLatin (Andrea Moya, CorralRosales, 2023). It was originally due to apply from 1 January 2024, but the Organic Law of Economic Efficiency of December 2023 moved the start to 1 July 2024, and the first payment fell due in September 2024 (Primicias). Its main features are:
- Rate. 15%, declared and paid monthly to the SRI.
- Base for resident operators. Gross gaming revenue, meaning stakes received minus prizes paid. Decree No. 487 confirmed this definition and clarified the treatment of bonuses and player accounts (NMS, 2024).
- Non-resident operators. Under the original design, where the operator has no tax residence in Ecuador the tax is levied on the full amount paid by users, and users act as substitute taxpayers (LexLatin, 2023). Under the 2026 regulation, operators must in any case establish themselves in Ecuador to be licensed.
- Scope. According to Primicias (December 2024), the tax applies to all operators, including non-profit entities, except the Junta de Beneficencia de Guayaquil and the Fundación Fe y Alegría.
The SRI collected about USD 18 million from the sector in 2025, according to Vistazo (May 2026), which also estimated that sector sales exceeded USD 134 million in 2025.
Value added tax (VAT) also applies. In April 2026 the SRI issued Circular No. NAC-DGECCGC26-00000004, confirming that digital services linked to sports predictions, betting and online games are subject to VAT at the standard rate of 15% (NMS). Registered providers collect the tax themselves. Where a foreign provider is not registered, banks and card issuers withhold it at the point of payment, and where no intermediary is involved the consumer must declare and pay it (Yogonet, April 2026).
Players
Operators must withhold 15% of the prizes paid to players. Under Decree No. 487, a prize arises when, within a month, the amount a player receives from correct predictions exceeds the amount staked, and freely usable bonuses are counted in the calculation. The withholding is made monthly or when the player withdraws funds (NMS, 2024). Players must report the income in their annual income tax return and may credit the amount withheld against their liability (Primicias, December 2024). Players using unregistered foreign platforms may also bear VAT withheld by their bank or card issuer, as described above.
Consumer protection and responsible gambling
Until 2026 Ecuador had no statutory responsible gambling framework. The main protections now come from the Organic Law of Sport and Decree No. 422:
- Age limit and identification. Only adults may bet. Operators must verify identity and age, and accounts opened by minors must be cancelled.
- Self-exclusion and limits. Licensed platforms must offer self-exclusion, deposit or participation limits, session time displays and responsible use alerts, run a 24-hour complaint system, and monitor behaviour to identify players at risk (El Diario; Focus Gaming News, June 2026). The regulation provides for self-exclusion at operator level; we found no evidence that a national, cross-operator self-exclusion register has yet been set up.
- Advertising controls. Advertising may not target minors, involve children or adolescents, or create false expectations of income, and must carry responsible gaming messages (Focus Gaming News, June 2026).
We found no dedicated national gambling helpline in Ecuador. The Ministry of Public Health’s free mental health line can be reached by dialling 171 and choosing option 6, according to the directory Find A Helpline. See also our responsible gambling guide.
Recent and upcoming developments
- Casino referendum proposals (2024–2025). In January 2024 President Daniel Noboa included a question on allowing casinos in his first referendum package, but withdrew it on 17 January 2024, saying that public debate on the subject was “not opportune” (El Universo). In 2025 he proposed allowing casinos in five-star hotels. The Constitutional Court first rejected the question as combining several issues (Expreso, 4 September 2025), then admitted a reformulated version at the end of September 2025 (Yogonet). The question was not, however, among the four put to voters on 16 November 2025, all of which were rejected (Primicias). We found no record that it has been put to a vote since, so the 2011 prohibition remains in force.
- VAT on digital betting (April 2026). The SRI confirmed 15% VAT on digital betting services.
- Anti-money-laundering obligations (April 2026). According to La República, the UAFE brought betting operators within the anti-money-laundering reporting regime in April 2026.
- PGE opinion (May 2026). The PGE confirmed that games of chance are unlawful, with or without profit, in physical or digital form.
- Decree No. 422 (June 2026). The regulation introduced the licensing system now in force. The 90-day application window for existing operators closed in September 2026, and secondary rules are due by 9 December 2026. Readers should check for the first published list of licensed operators.
Casino listings for players in Ecuador
The listings below are generated automatically from our casino database and do not show that an operator holds an Ecuadorian licence. Offering online casino games to players in Ecuador is prohibited, and no licence for such games can be obtained, so the listings must not be read as an indication that playing casino games online is lawful. Only sports betting operators licensed by the sports authority may lawfully offer betting in Ecuador.
Vegas Casino Online
No Deposit Bonus
$ 20
Liberty Slots Casino
No Deposit Bonus
$ 18
Slots.lv
100% up to
$2,000
+ 20 Spins
Sloto'Cash Casino
100% up to
∞
Casino Extreme
200 Spins
Bovada Casino
100% up to
$1,000
Casino Brango
500% up to
$/€100
+ 500 Spins
Shazam Casino
Exclusive No Deposit Bonus
$ 50
Lucky Tiger Casino
No Deposit Bonus
$ 55
Red Stag Casino
25% up to
∞
Rich Palms Casino
250% up to
∞
Miami Club Casino
50 Spins
Highway Casino
$ 30
Lincoln Casino
No Deposit Bonus
$ 18
Yabby Casino
202% up to
∞
DuckyLuck Casino
500% up to
$/€2,500
+ 150 Spins
PlayCroco Casino
300% up to
∞
+ 60 Spins
Fair Go Casino
200% up to
∞
Uptown Aces
250% up to
∞
Las Vegas USA Casino
No Deposit Bonus
$ 20
Drake Casino
300% up to
$2,000
Sun Palace Casino
No Deposit Bonus
$ 20
Slots Plus
No Deposit Bonus
$ 20
Ignition Casino
200% up to
$100
.jpg?x83485){kind=logo}
Everygame Classic Casino
200% up to
∞
+ 50 Spins
Slots And Casino
500% up to
∞
+ 150 Spins
Slotsroom Casino
400% up to
∞
+ 20 Spins
Casino Max
400% up to
∞
+ 20 Spins
El Royale Casino
230% up to
∞
Black Lotus Casino
300% up to
$7,000
+ 45 Spins
Red Dog Casino
Slots Empire
230% up to
$7,500
Lucky Creek
50 Spins
Spinfinity Casino
400% up to
∞
+ 20 Spins
Jackpot Capital
25% up to
∞
Ripper Casino
25% up to
∞
Las Atlantis Casino
$ 2,500
Slotastic
250% up to
∞
Grand Eagle
200% up to
$5,500
+ 30 Spins
Cherry Jackpot
400% up to
∞
+ 20 Spins
Grande Vegas
150% up to
$300
LadyLuck Casino
100 Spins
Roaring 21 Casino
400% up to
∞
+ 20 Spins
Ozwin Casino
$ 10
Treasure Mile
200% up to
$/€4,000
+ 50 Spins
TropicanaCasino
Borgata Online Casino
BetOnline Casino
100 Spins
Grand Rush
200% up to
$4,000
+ 40 Spins
Jazz Casino
10% up to
$250
BetMGM Casino NJ
100% up to
$1,000
Sources and further reading
- Albán Sánchez, S. J., Eguiguren Chiriboga, A. M. and Seminario Vélez, M. S., Fundamentos, aplicación y futuro de la regulación jurídica de plataformas digitales de pronósticos deportivos en Ecuador, USFQ Law Review (2024).
- García González et al., Régimen jurídico de las apuestas deportivas en el ordenamiento ecuatoriano, Olimpia (2025).
- Bloomberg Línea, ¿Por qué en Ecuador no hay casinos ni se puede apostar?, al menos legalmente (2022).
- Yogonet, El Gobierno de Rafael Correa pone punto final a los casinos en Ecuador (2011).
- La República, Casinos y salas de juego cierran definitivamente en Ecuador (2012).
- Expreso, Procuraduría ratifica que los juegos de azar son ilícitos en Ecuador, incluso sin fines de lucro (2026).
- Expreso, Juegos de azar sin fines de lucro: el debate legal (2026).
- Primicias, Procuraduría aclara que casinos son ilícitos en Ecuador, pese a ello, plataformas virtuales siguen funcionando (2026).
- LexLatin (Andrea Moya, CorralRosales), Apuestas deportivas en Ecuador: el impuesto único a los operadores (2023).
- Primicias, A partir de septiembre de 2024, casas de pronósticos deportivos pagarán impuesto especial (2024).
- iGaming Business, Ecuador registers 65 sports betting companies as new tax framework comes into force (2024).
- Lexis, Registro Oficial del día: Gobierno reforma normativa para operadores de pronósticos deportivos (2024).
- NMS Abogados, Reformas al régimen del impuesto a la renta único para operadores de pronósticos deportivos (2024).
- Primicias, Gobierno fija tasa de USD 307.870 a sitios de pronósticos deportivos y cambios en el pago de premios a apostadores (2024).
- National Assembly of Ecuador, Asamblea aprueba nueva Ley de Deportes (2025).
- Expreso, Nueva Ley del Deporte: ¿Cómo regula a operadores de pronósticos deportivos? (2025).
- Lexis, Se publica Ley Orgánica del Deporte, la Educación Física y la Recreación (2026).
- Primicias, La nueva Ley del Deporte fue publicada en el Registro Oficial y entró en vigencia (2026).
- El Diario, ¿Qué pasará con los pronósticos deportivos en Ecuador? Esto dice un nuevo reglamento (2026).
- Meythaler & Zambrano Abogados, Pronósticos deportivos en Ecuador: nuevas reglas para operar, publicitar y cumplir (2026).
- Focus Gaming News, Ecuador promulga el reglamento de la Ley del Deporte (2026).
- Primicias, La regulación de los pronósticos deportivos en Ecuador: estos son los retos del nuevo sistema de licencias de operación (2026).
- Yogonet, Ecuador: advierten a operadores de pronósticos deportivos que revisen su permiso ante ilicitud de juegos de azar (2026).
- NMS Abogados, El SRI consolida la aplicación del IVA a servicios digitales de pronósticos deportivos y apuestas en línea (2026).
- Yogonet, Ecuador: el SRI define el IVA del 15% para apuestas y juegos online (2026).
- Vistazo, Ecuador enfrenta retos para captar mayor recaudación en sitios de apuestas deportivas (2026).
- Focus Gaming News, El presidente de Ecuador prohíbe la publicidad de apuestas deportivas (2023).
- El Diario, ¿Es legal jugar en casinos online en Ecuador? (2025).
- El Universo, Daniel Noboa retiró la pregunta sobre casinos de la consulta popular (2024).
- Expreso, Corte Constitucional rechaza pregunta sobre casinos en consulta popular (2025).
- Yogonet, La Corte Constitucional reconsidera su postura y admite la consulta popular sobre la reapertura de casinos (2025).
- Primicias, CNE proclama resultados definitivos del referéndum y consulta popular 2025 en Ecuador (2025).
- La República, La regulación de las apuestas en Ecuador y el futuro de la industria (2026).
- Find A Helpline, Ecuador helplines (accessed 6 October 2026).
