Uruguay Approves Online Gambling Ban

Uruguay has approved legislation to ban offshore online gaming companies from operating in the country and also introduce new taxes on state-approved gambling activities. The law easily passed the country’s Senate and was signed into law by Uruguayan President Tabare Vazquez.

Uruguay has approved a new gambling “Accountability law” that bans offshore online gaming companies from operating in the country and introduces new taxes on state-approved gambling

Under the bill, all forms of online poker and casino activities are “absolutely prohibited” in the country via remote channels, according to a report at Yognet.com.

The state monopoly La Banca de Quinielas national lottery is the only licensed operator allowed to operate online gambling in Uruguay. The lottery can only offer sports betting activities.

The bill levies a new 0.75 percent tax on the gambling turnover made via approved casinos, gaming halls, racetracks, and sports betting shops, the report said.

The law also gives new powers to the state to “adopt various preventive and sanctioning measures to prevent the proliferation” of online gambling. This could mean “blocking of access to websites, financial frauds, as well as the prohibition of commercial communications, sponsorship and advertising of unauthorized games.”

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