Operator News
Uruguay – Uruguay marks eighth year of gaming growth
By Phil - 28 January 2015
According to the most recent figures released by the Uruguayan Board of Lotteries and Pools Betting (Dirección Nacional de Loterías y Quinielas) bets made on lotteries, pools betting casinos and slot parlours combined stood at US$900m in 2013 meaning that the gaming industry in Uruguay has now seen year on year growth for the last eight years.
Gross Gaming Revenue on Quinela (pools betting) and lotteries reached US$394.7m an 8.5 per cent increase compared to the previous year. With revenues reaching US$10.2m to 77 per cent more than in 2013, sports betting game Supermatch recorded the highest growth due primarily to Uruguay’s strong performance during last year’s World Cup held in June and July. However, year on year sports betting in Uruguay continues to grow with gross gaming revenue increasing on an average of 10 per cent per year in non World Cup years.
In second place was Tómbola with gross gaming revenue standing at US$ 85.3m – a growth of 15.4 per cent followed by lottery game Cinco de Oro which is drawn twice a week revenues of which fell by 5.4 per cent.
The lottery came in fourth place with gross gaming revenue standing at US$27.3m a 10.4 percent increase and this was followed by Instant Quiniela (an instant card) sales of which grew by 27.1 per cent reaching US$26.1m.
The least popular product was Kini with bets standing at US$243,000. This product will be phased out later on this year.
According to Director Luis Gama, part of the rise in gaming revenue has been due to a streamlining of the products the Lottery has on offer a process which looks likely to continue this year.
“Since I took office, there are a number of games that no longer exist,” Mr.Gama said referring to the fact that a number of products have been phased out and that lottery draws have been reduced from four a month to just one.
The Uruguayan Gaming Board, which controls casinos and slot parlours in Uruguay, also showed improving figures when compared to last year recording gross gaming revenues of around US$235m a 5.4 per cent increase compared to 2013. In the same period slot parlours recorded a net income of US$39.2m to 9.4 per cent more than in 2013. However horse race betting via local betting shops fell 8.6 per cent to US$2.3m.
