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The National Directorate of Lotteries and Quinielas (DNLQ) of Uruguay has released a study that explores gambling and betting behavior by adults in the country, including gamblers in land-based and online venues. The survey was carried out from 21 to 24 August 2026 in a sample of 500 people from among Uruguay’s population aged 18 years and older.
Data were gathered by asking and answering them automatically using WhatsApp, and at the same time, the responses were checked by telephone to ensure quality and consistency. 82% of respondents reported having played games of chance or wagered at least once; 17% reported never playing games of chance or wagering. There were more men (86%) than women (78%) who participated.
Land-Based Gambling Remains Dominant
The survey revealed that in Uruguay, playing in fixed casino locations is still the primary gambling method. 68% of the respondents preferred physical gambling, while 12% preferred online gambling, and 8% preferred both. There are currently only two online gambling websites in Uruguay that are authorized by the state, Supermatch and La Banca.
The differences of age were also noticed. Older respondents, those aged 60 and over, were most likely to prefer gambling on land, at 82%, while younger respondents were more likely to prefer online gambling. There was a 31% use of both print and online formats among the 18-29 age group and 27% among the 30-44 age group.
Overall, women preferred physical gambling more than men (77% compared to 59%). Use of the internet, on the other hand, grew with decreasing age of the participants.
5 de Oro Leads Among Gambling Products
The 5 de Oro lottery was the most popular gambling product in the survey, being mentioned by 62% of respondents. Tómbola with 27%, followed by Raspadita with 23%.
Attitudes were quite different among the various age groups. 26% of respondents aged 18-29 said they play casino games. Among older players, Tómbola and Quiniela were more prevalent, with 42% of those aged 45 to 59 and similar among those aged over 60, but only 20% among younger players.
The results revealed differences in the gambling frequency as well. 18-to 29-year-olds were less likely to rate their involvement as “occasional”, with 68% of them betting once every six months or less. In comparison, older age groups (45-59) reported greater numbers of daily and weekly participation.
Most Respondents Report Controlled Spending
Gambling expenditure and behaviors linked to higher expenditure were also explored. Of the respondents, 83% indicated they have never gambled more money than they could afford to lose on any given bet.
8% of younger respondents indicated they had bet more money than they could afford to lose “most of the time.” Of the 45- to 59-year-olds, 5% said that they “almost always” spent “more than they could afford to lose,” while 11% of the over-60s said that they “sometimes” did so.
The survey also included questions about how much they needed to bet more in order to get the same thrill from the game as they had previously. 5% said they experienced this occasionally, and some 92% said they never had this experience.
Awareness of Legal Gambling
Respondents’ awareness of the legality of gambling was also high. Of all those who participated, some 90% knew that the games they played were legal in Uruguay. This figure was higher with socioeconomic status ranging from 82% in the lowest socioeconomic group to 96% in the highest.
Additionally, 96% of the individuals in the survey reported that they have not resorted to skipping their everyday necessities so as to gamble. Approximately 3% admitted to doing this occasionally or on a regular basis.
The survey DNLQ offers a snapshot of the gambling participation of the adult population of Uruguay, and identifies differences among people based on age, gender, socioeconomic status, gambling format, and frequency. The survey was conducted on a representative sample of 500 people and is therefore representative of the country’s gambling habits.
Source: SBC Noticias
