TLDR Uruguay’s national lottery regulator surveyed 500 adults from August 21 to 24, 2026. 82% of respondents said they have gambled or placed a bet at least once. 68% prefer land-based gambling, while 12% prefer online and 8% use both. The 5 de Oro lottery was the most popular product, mentioned by 62% of respondents. 83% said they have never bet more money than they could afford to lose.
Uruguay’s National Directorate of Lotteries and Quinielas (DNLQ) has released a new study on the gambling and betting habits of adults in the country. The survey looked at people who play at land-based venues and online.
The study was carried out from August 21 to 24, 2026. It used a sample of 500 people aged 18 and older.
Researchers gathered answers through automated questions sent over WhatsApp. Responses were also checked by telephone to confirm quality and consistency.
According to the results, 82% of respondents said they had gambled or placed a bet at least once. Another 17% said they had never done so. Men reported higher participation than women, at 86% compared to 78%.
Land-Based Gambling Still Leads
Physical locations remain the main way Uruguayans gamble. The survey found 68% of respondents preferred land-based gambling, while 12% preferred online gambling and 8% used both.
Only two online gambling websites are currently authorized by the state in Uruguay. They are Supermatch and La Banca.
Age played a clear role in these preferences. Among people aged 60 and older, 82% preferred land-based gambling. Younger adults were more likely to go online, with 31% of those aged 18 to 29 and 27% of those aged 30 to 44 using both formats.
Women preferred physical gambling more than men, at 77% compared to 59%. Internet use rose as the age of