Uruguay's Dirección Nacional de Loterías y Quinielas is stepping up its crackdown on illegal gambling by expanding its use of artificial intelligence to detect unauthorized betting activity.
In addition, it is preparing a complaint over illegal poker tables in Montevideo that can generate as much as $200,000 in a single night.
Director Marcelo Visconti spoke to a local newspaper and said that the agency has identified at least four illegal cash poker tables operating in Montevideo, including some in well-known central locations.
He added that the games can move more than $1.5m over the course of a few weeks but that Loterías y Quinielas has no authority to inspect them directly. Instead, the regulator is coordinating with the Dirección Nacional de Casinos before taking the case to the Ministry of the Interior.
Visconti said Loterías y Quinielas has blocked nearly 2,000 illegal betting websites since launching its enforcement efforts, including 56 this year. He added that new sites continue to appear as others are shut down, with many operators based overseas where online betting is legal.
According to him, others rely on local intermediaries, known as “cajeros,” who collect deposits from bettors before transferring the funds to offshore operators.
As part of the effort, Loterías y Quinielas has begun using AI to scan websites and social media for betting promotions. The technology can detect advertising placed through media outlets, sports clubs and sponsored events, giving the regulator grounds to issue notices or pursue sanctions.
The regulator has also signed an agreement with Meta to remove accounts linked to fraud, identity impersonation and the promotion of illegal betting. Around 50 profiles were taken down through that process this year.
Visconti said illegal gambling poses risks beyond lost tax revenue because unlicensed operators do not verify users' age or identity, offer responsible gambling tools or guarantee that players will receive their winnings.
He added: "It worries us because there we can't control anything, and they're recruiting increasingly younger people."
Supermatch remains Uruguay's only licensed online betting platform. The government is also evaluating whether to authorize additional online gaming products, although Visconti said any expansion would require robust anti-money laundering safeguards.
Loterías y Quinielas is also seeking an anti-money laundering certification through Cibelae and has given mobile betting operators until the end of the year to introduce bank-style identity verification measures.
According to Loterías y Quinielas, Uruguayans spend around $700m annually on betting and casino games
