Ecuadorian President Daniel Noboa has removed a 2023 ban on gambling advertising. [Image: Shutterstock.com]

Ecuadorian President Daniel Noboa has lifted a country-wide ban on sports betting advertising.

Noboa, who took office in January and is seen as broadly pro-business, lifted the ban which had been in place since 2023.

The ban had been controversial, particularly among sports organizations such as the Ecuadorian Professional Soccer League (LigaPro), which were denied a crucial revenue stream from the advertisements.

The move breaks from a general trend in the global regulatory landscape as many countries seek to implement and enforce restrictions on gambling advertising. The issue has become contentious ahead of the upcoming Australian election, while in the United Kingdom, Premier League soccer clubs have voluntarily agreed to phase out gambling shirt sponsorship.

a grey market has emerged to fill the void

The lifting of the advertising ban comes as part of a new overall regime concerning gambling in Ecuador. Gambling has been banned since a 2011 referendum, leading to a familiar situation in much of South America where a grey market has emerged to fill the void.

While the country is still short of a fully licensed and regulated market, there have been moves in that direction, with a system implemented earlier in the year requiring operators to register with Ecuador’s revenue services and pay tax on their earnings.

Noboa is expected to continue moving toward legalization, although there remains significant opposition in Ecuador. Earlier in the year, the President also floated the idea of legalizing casinos, although the idea was ultimately withdrawn.