Ecuador has tightened access to its sports prediction market with a new licensing procedure requiring operators to maintain a minimum net worth of US$500,000, in addition to a financial guarantee, local legal presence, technology certification and anti-money laundering controls.
The measure is contained in Ministerial Agreement No. MINEDEC-MINEDEC-2026-00078-A, issued by the Ministry of Education, Sports and Culture (MINEDEC), and develops the Sports Prediction Operator License (LOPD). The authority may take up to 90 days to assess each application.
Alexandra Verónica Navarrete
The license will be valid for five years, renewable, and requires an annual payment equivalent to 655 unified basic salaries, around US$315,000-US$316,000 in 2026. This is in addition to a bank guarantee or immediate-payment insurance policy equal to 1% of net worth, meaning a minimum of US$5,000 for an operator meeting only the minimum capital requirement.
Gilda Natalia Alcívar García
Foreign companies must operate through a branch domiciled in Ecuador or a locally incorporated company, obtain a tax identification number and maintain an exclusive bank account for sports prediction activity. The framework is based on the Organic Law on Sports, Physical Education and Recreation and Executive Decree 422, signed on June 12, 2026 and published on June 15.
Operators must also register with the Financial and Economic Analysis Unit (UAFE), headed by Ana Paula Patiño Chacón, and comply with KYC, monitoring, due diligence and suspicious transaction reporting requirements. The Internal Revenue Service (SRI), led by Alexandra Verónica Navarrete Ricaurte, applies a 15% single income tax on operators and a 15% withholding tax on prizes paid to players. The regulation also sets payment limits of US$1,000 per banking or debit transaction and US$350 by credit card. The system is overseen by MINEDEC, led by Gilda Natalia Alcívar García, with Roberto Ibáñez serving as Vice Minister of Sports, under President Daniel Noboa Azín.
