Best Online Casinos Ecuador - Top EC Casino Sites 2024

Ecuador is often associated with the name World Tourism Power because it is desirable with its diverse ecosystems, rich cultural heritage, Amazon forests, Galapagos Islands, etc. Also, the gambling industry was the factor that attracted many tourists from all over the world. Although the gambling laws were not as perfect as expected, the betting games in Ecuador were considered attractive and offered a lot of fun for every gambler. However, as you can see, I am using the past tense. As a result, gambling is no longer legal in Ecuador.

Gambling Laws in Ecuador

Since 2011, things are not as good as they used to be for the gambling industry as it has been made illegal in Ecuador, meaning all casinos and gambling facilities are required to close.

Thanks to the regulations governing the legalization of gambling and casinos more than 50 years ago, Ecuador has become a famous betting center. At that time, Ecuador opened more than 50 casinos, including many luxury casinos.

However, as gambling became popular, corruption and money laundering also skyrocketed. Finally, President Rafael Corra convinced the Ecuadorian government to consider shutting down all legal gambling activities in the country.

Even so, there are illegal gambling activities across the country, like gambling at homes or restaurants.

Protests have taken place from gambling organizations after the decision was taken, leaving nearly 25,000 people unemployed.

There are no regulations for online gambling organizations in Ecuador. The government has issued a ban on gambling at both offline casinos and gambling halls but did not mention online casinos. Currently, the Ecuadorian government does not license any online gambling organizations, but online casinos still welcome thousands of betting times of Ecuadorians every day.

Gambling Events in Ecuador

From 1820 to 1822, Ecuador's War of Independence took place, aiming to decide whether Spain or Ecuador would be in control of Quito's Royal Audience (later to become the Republic of Ecuador). In May 1822, Presidencia de Quito became an independent nation.

Since winning over Spain, Ecuador had worked hard to build up society and economy. From the very beginning, gambling games have become popular pastimes and make Ecuador an ideal destination for visitors to entertain games of chance. The legalization law enacted around the 1960s has brought great benefits to Ecuador.

Like games of chance and sports betting, lotteries are also popular, but not equal. These forms of gambling have been highly profitable in Ecuador for many years. However, things changed in 2008 when the Latin American Poker Tournament was hosted in this South American country. After this event, Blackjack and Poker became more popular than ever, making them a big part of Ecuador's gambling culture.

However, things turned to change when President Rafael Correa was elected, who set the casinos’ limits in five-star hotels. He proposed a ban on all forms of gambling and declared them illegal because gambling is causing many adverse problems for society.

On May 7, 2011, the referendum was held. Ecuadorians were asked to answer the question, "Do you agree that businesses for gambling games such as casinos and slot machines should be banned?". As a result, 45.7% of Ecuadorians supported a ban on mass gambling.

Even so, President Rafael Correa issued a decree on Executive Decree No. 873 (September 9, 2011), requiring all the gambling establishments have to close within 6 months.

Payment Methods in Ecuador Online Casinos

Ecuadorian bettors are offered a variety of deposit methods at online casinos. Gamblers should pay attention to checking these methods, though, as each casino will have different deposit and withdrawal options. Make sure that the casinos offer the right payment methods for you.

At Ecuador online casinos, you can use the most popular methods, Visa and Mastercard. Not only that, but the casinos also offer payment gateways such as E-Wallets, prepaid cards, bank transfers, and cryptocurrencies. Here are the payment methods that you can refer to:

• Skrill;
• Neteller;
• ApplePay;
• EcoPayz;
• AstroPay;
• Paysafecard;
• Trustly;
• MuchBetter

The standard features of these methods are reputation and high security. However, if you are still wondering, the Neteller e-wallet will be a safe and reliable deposit option. Neteller transactions do not require gamblers to share banking information with the operator. Therefore, players are always protected privacy by Neteller. Besides, deposits and withdrawals are also fast and free.

Billie Noble

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Last updated: 23 November 2020