Ecuador Allows Sports Betting Advertising

The Ecuadorian government, under President Daniel Noboa, has made key changes to the regulations of the Organic Law of Communication, now allowing the advertisement of sports betting in media outlets. The change, formalized through Executive Decree 421 on October 14, 2024, modifies Article 56, which previously prohibited all forms of advertising for sports betting systems and predictions.

This adjustment lifts the ban, enabling media platforms to broadcast sports betting advertisements. According to César Ricaurte, director of the NGO Fundamedios, this opens the door for media to receive financial support from sports betting companies, which are major advertisers in football and online platforms.

Additionally, sports betting platforms in Ecuador are subject to a 15% tax on their taxable base, effective since July 2024, as part of the 2023 Economic Efficiency Law. The Internal Revenue Service (SRI) reports that while 65 sports betting platforms have registered, the total number of operators is expected to be higher. Non-registered platforms face the risk of having their IP addresses blocked by the Telecommunications Regulatory and Control Agency (Arcotel).