In Ecuador, all games of chance—including casinos and betting houses—were banned following a popular consultation held on May 7, 2011, and formalized by Executive Decree No. 873. This decree mandated the closure of such establishments, permitting only those already registered in luxury hotels to operate for a limited transition period (1).
The prohibition was later codified into the Criminal Code: Article 236 of the Código Orgánico Integral Penal (COIP) penalizes anyone who administers or establishes casinos, game rooms, betting houses, or similar operations, whether physically or digitally, with prison sentences of one to three years (2).
"Las actividades de pronóstico deportivo no habilitan a la prestación de servicios de juegos de azar tales como casinos, bingos, loterías o apuestas en general, ya sea físicamente, por medios digitales o por cualquier otro medio, las cuales están prohibidas por el artículo 236 del Código Orgánico Integral Penal y por pronunciamiento popular en la pregunta 7 de la Consulta Popular celebrada el 7 de mayo de 2011." (2)
Subsequent rulings, including a December 2023 decision by the Constitutional Court, have confirmed that sports forecasting (“pronóstico deportivo”) falls within the same prohibited category, leaving no clear legal pathway for commercial sports betting operators under current Ecuadorian law (2).
Consequently, most forms of sports betting remain illegal in Ecuador, and both operators and participants risk criminal sanctions. Comprehensive regulation or licensing for sports betting has yet to be enacted, so any prospective stakeholder should await explicit legislative or regulatory guidance.
Source:
https://www.turismo.gob.ec/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/REGLAMENTO-DE-JUEGOS-DE-AZAR-PRACTICADOS-EN.pdf
https://www.corteconstitucional.gob.ec/
Last updated: 22-05-2025 Disclaimer: This article does not provide legal advice. If you need legal advice, please contact an attorney directly.
