(short): State monopoly: La Banca (Uruguay)

State monopoly: La Banca (Uruguay)

1) What is La Banca and why is it an 'official' circuit

La Banca de Quinielas is a state-sanctioned distribution network of "Juegos Oficiales del Uruguay" (the country's official games). Its portal contains products Quiniela, Tómbola, 5 de Oro, eRaspadita and Supermatch, drawing results and services for players. This is the legal perímeter for mass games and bets.

La Banca works in conjunction with the Ministry of Economy and Finance (MEF) and its Dirección Nacional de Loterías y Quinielas (DNLQ), which conducts lottery vertical and public communications, including warnings on illegal online gambling.

2) The only legal online bookie: Supermatch

The official Supermatch website explicitly bills itself as "La única casa de apuestas deportivas del Uruguay" - the only legal online sports betting brand in the country (web and mobile app).

The status of Supermatch as a state channel is confirmed by the presence in the Juegos Oficiales La Banca line and in the description of the official application (App Store): "aplicación oficial de las Bancas de Quinielas del Uruguay." Public materials also indicate that the MEF authorized Supermatch as a betting site and licensed La Banca.

3) Legal framework: why the market is limited

General ban on remote online gambling. Art. 244 Ley 19. 535 (2017) declares the illegality of providing games/bets via the Internet, platforms and applications without special permission from the state.

Blocking mechanics and advertising prohibition. Decreto 366/017 regulates the blocking of unauthorized sites, as well as financial flows and commercial communications (advertising/sponsorship) in favor of illegal operators.

DNLQ and MEF regularly remind media and platforms: it is impossible to advertise illegal brands - this is recorded in industry publications and news (August-October 2025).

4) Portfolio of "Official Games"

Lottery products: Quiniela, Tómbola, 5 de Oro (separate pages with rules and results).

Instant Draws: eRaspadita (Instant Lottery Series).

Sports betting: Supermatch (the only legal online brand).

Draw transparency: La Banca broadcasts circulations and publishes results (including on YouTube), strengthening trust and control.

5) How monopoly works in practice

Governance: MEF/DNLQ set policy and oversight; La Banca organizes the distribution of the "Official Games" and the front for the client; Supermatch is a single online channel for sports betting.

Enforcement: In violations, DNLQ appeals to Ley 19 regulations. 535 and Decreto 366/017 - from blocking sites and payments to pressuring media to ban ads; this practice was actively covered at the end of 2025.

Consumer protection: the official contour simplifies the verification of results, appeals and payments; Supermatch and La Banca operate with age restrictions and "Juegue Responsablemente" messages.

6) What it means for players, media and businesses

Players.

You can legally install online in Uruguay only through Supermatch; any other sites are illegal and may be blocked, their advertising is prohibited. The results of draws and draws are checked on the resources of DNLQ/La Banca.

Media and sports clubs.

Advertising/sponsorship of illegal online games is prohibited; the regulator emphasizes this in public warnings (August-October 2025).

Operators/affiliates.

Online activity outside the La Banca/DNLQ perimeter is not possible; attempts to promote offshore sites are fraught with blocking and sanctions.

7) Short FAQ

Are there other legal online bookmakers in the country besides Supermatch? No, it isn't; Supermatch is the only one.

Is it possible to advertise an "international" site? No, it isn't; Decreto 366/017 prohibits advertising/sponsorship of illegal immigrants and allows blocking of streams/sites.

Where to watch the results of the "Official Games"? On the portals La Banca and DNLQ, including game pages and a feed of draw broadcasts.

The La Banca model is the centralized state circuit of Uruguay's "Official Games" with the only legal online sports betting brand, Supermatch. The prohibition of distance gambling and a tough policy against advertising illegal immigrants (Ley 19. 535 + Decreto 366/017) make the market consciously limited, but transparent to the player, media and the state: clear channels, public results and direct oversight of MEF/DNLQ.