Legislation
Chile – Chilean Association of Gaming Casinos calls on government to regulate online gambling
By James - 24 October 2022
Cecilia Valdés Vial, Executive President of The Chilean Association of Gaming Casinos (ACCJ) called on the authorities to legislate the online gaming sector in Chile as soon as possible.
In a letter published by the newspaper La Tercera, Valdés warned that “there are almost a thousand web gambling and betting platforms that operate completely outside the law, without paying taxes, without known addresses, and without consumer protection. ”
At the same time she argued that online gambling offered by offshore operators was illegal. “The Penal Code classifies the activity of games of chance as a crime and the Civil Code declares debts contracted in games of chance null and void, considering them illegal.” She also highlighted an opinion of the Comptroller General of the Republic (CGR) that stipulated that “neither the operating companies of gambling casinos nor any other entity in any case may carry out games of chance online . . .”
Valdés Vial stated that she was not against online gambling but said that it needed to be regulated which would in turn lead to an increase in taxes, the generation of jobs and the promotion of responsible gaming.
“As long as this regulation does not exist, the exploitation of online gambling will continue to be a crime in Chile. We hope that it will be legislated soon and that this will allow us to compete fairly”, she said.
Calls are growing for the government to regulate online gambling. Last week Gran Arena Monticello’s lawyer, published a letter aimed at online gambling sites operating in Chile.
In a text published by the newspaper La Tercera, he stated that international operators “try to position it ” so that their operations do not appear illegal, but said: “The law is quite clear in prohibiting all games of chance except for what is explicitly established in the Penal Code: the Chilean Polla de Beneficencia, the Concepción Lottery, horse betting and casinos authorized by the Superintendence of Gaming Casinos (SCJ)”.
In July President of the Chamber’s Economy Commission Daniel Manouchehri announced that online gambling legislation would be discussed in the Chamber of Deputies. Lawmakers could either consider an online gambling bill put forward under the previous administration of Sebastián Piñera or could look at any new bill handed down by the new executive branch.
Due to the increasing presence of online gambling and sports betting in football lawmakers have recognised that it is time to deal with the issue especially now as the Gaming Board (SJC) has also stated that online gambling is illegal except under special conditions.
The government is seeking to delay the negotiations until it can be discussed together within the framework of broader taxes in the last quarter of this year. However it is believed that the project could be delayed until 2023.
