Ecuador Casinos

What the Law Says in 2026

Ecuador’s gambling story is unusual. Before 2011 the country had a lively casino scene, with roughly 160 venues employing tens of thousands of people, until a referendum under President Rafael Correa closed them on corruption and money laundering grounds. For years some argued that the ban only covered physical premises. The Procuraduría’s statement of 4 May 2026 drew no such line: it called casinos and games of chance illicit in Ecuador, whether or not anyone profits from them, and the Civil Code has long treated games of chance as illicit contracts.

The new framework comes from the sports side. The Organic Sports Law, published in the Registro Oficial in February 2026, and its general regulation, issued as Executive Decree 422 in June 2026, make a licence from the sports authority the only legal basis for offering sports predictions and online games inside Ecuador. Licences run for up to five years and can be renewed, cost the operator the equivalent of 655 basic salaries a year, and come with anti money laundering registration and a ban on advertising aimed at minors. A licence from another country does not replace it.

Tax has caught up as well. Since April 2026 the tax authority (SRI) applies the standard 15% VAT to online betting, sports predictions and similar digital services, with banks and card issuers withholding it on payments to providers abroad, and licensed operators must withhold 15% on prizes. Ecuador uses the US dollar, so none of this involves currency conversion. If gambling has stopped being fun, our responsible gambling guide is a good place to start.