Legislation

Chile moves online gambling bill into new phase as over 570 amendments trigger technical review

By James Marrison - 29 June 2026

Chile’s bill to regulate online gambling platforms has entered a new stage in the Senate after accumulating more than 570 proposed amendments from lawmakers and the Executive.

The initiative, Bill No. 14838-03, was introduced to Congress in March 2022 and is now in its second constitutional stage before the Senate’s Economy Committee. The bill was approved in general by a broad majority, but the subsequent wave of indications has transformed its detailed discussion into a complex and lengthy process.

Chile’s Senate Economy Committee has agreed with the Executive branch to form a technical working group to review the amendments to the bill regulating online gambling platforms.

The aim is to request a new deadline from the Chamber of Deputies to submit indications, after the original May deadline produced a 377‑page comparative report and projected annual revenues of US$180–200 million in the bill’s financial note.

The debate has been further complicated by a recent Internal Revenue Service (SII) resolution that allows foreign-based platforms—currently considered to be operating outside the law—to register and pay taxes.

In recent sessions, senators heard from former Superintendent of Gaming Casinos Eduardo Cáceres, who reiterated that current law only authorizes physical casino games and does not cover online gambling, despite 123 complaints filed since 2018 over prize collection problems, irregularities in games, and access by minors.

Lawmakers highlighted pre‑legislative proposals to block minors’ access, support casino workers, and identify beneficial owners to trace capital sources, while questioning the consistency of taxing operators deemed illegal and raising concerns about potential links to organized crime.

The Commission agreed to formally request information from the Public Prosecutor’s Office on complaint follow‑up and to send letters to the National Sports Institute (IND) and the National Television Council (CNT) to identify sports organizations sponsored by betting companies and to assess the presence of gambling advertising in broadcast media.

Chile’s online betting bill, originally introduced under former President Sebastián Piñera, aims to create a competitive, regulated market for online gambling while safeguarding public trust, player health and safety, and the rights of users.

It sets conditions and requirements for the authorization, operation, administration, and oversight of online betting platforms, with explicit objectives to prevent access by children and adolescents, curb addictive behaviours, combat illegal gambling, regulate advertising, and ensure transparency over the origin and destination of funds.

From a fiscal standpoint, the bill is designed to increase tax collection and channel industry revenue into sports and responsible gambling initiatives. Operators would pay an annual license fee of 1,000 UTM and a 20% specific tax on gross income, alongside income tax and VAT aligned with casino rules.

Two percent of gross revenue would go to sports, divided equally among the IND, the Chilean Olympic Committee, and the Chilean Paralympic Committee. The bill also strengthens oversight by expanding powers and information‑sharing across key state bodies.