Latin America is going through a major change in the gambling market. The region, once dominated by offshore operators, is shifting toward a more mature and organized model. A global study, commissioned by 1xBet shows the local industry is becoming a leader in player protection and, in some areas, is ahead of more developed markets.

Despite this progress, a major challenge remains: the illegal market. Offshore operators working outside regulatory frameworks often use aggressive marketing tactics and fail to comply with established standards, undermining licensed operators and weakening player protection efforts.

Looking ahead, the sector’s development will depend on three key factors: increasing player awareness, strengthening enforcement against illegal operators, and maintaining consistent support from regulators. Governments’ ability to effectively control the gray market will be critical to consolidating recent gains.

Experts also note that player protection levels still vary significantly across countries, and there is no one-size-fits-all approach. As the region moves beyond its initial regulatory phase, establishing a shared definition of player protection across Latin America will be essential to ensure consistent and sustainable standards.

”The Player Protection Index LatAm, offered some deep insights and valuable takeaways, the work around Player Protection must continue. We saw differing levels of player protection across the continent. Although, there is no one size fits all approach to player protection, regulation must balance player protection and a positive regulator environment for operators. We may have seen a honeymoon period of regulation across LatAm but the work must continue and it is imperative that a continent wide base definition of what player protection is needed before it can be enshrined in every regulatory environment,” said Simon Westbury, Strategic Advisor at 1xBet.