Ecuador registers 65 gambling companies after new gambling tax

On June 28, the government of Ecuador published Executive Decree No. 313 in the Official Gazette, which established a 15% gross income tax for sports betting operators, regardless of whether they are based in Ecuador or abroad.

Player winnings are also subject to a 15% withholding tax. From July 1, operators will have six months to update their systems to comply with the new regulations.

This has led to 65 companies registering with the Internal Revenue Service (SRI), Damián Larco said in an update to local broadcaster Teleamazonas this week. The vast majority of these operators are local, with two international companies among the numbers, Larco said.

However, Larco believes the total number of active operators is much higher than the 65 that have registered. SRI monitors the market to ensure that offshore operators apply for a license. If they do not, Larco says that the IP addresses of offshore operators are blocked.

Gambling tax hikes in Ecuador fail to deter some operators

Since 2011, land-based gambling has been banned in Ecuador. However, there is no specific ban on sports betting.

In 2024, there were discussions about lifting the ban on land-based casinos and introducing a new regulatory framework for gambling in Ecuador.

President Daniel Noboa initially raised a question about introducing gambling regulation in a public consultation, but the question was withdrawn after civil unrest in the country amid battles with drug cartels.