Chile Senate Economy Committee Backs Amendments to Ban Online Betting Platforms
Chile's Senate Economy Committee approved two amendments on 9 November to prohibit online betting platforms. Merging and Finance Committee review come next.
Chile's Senate Economy Committee approved two amendments on Monday 9 November 2026 that would prohibit online betting platforms, with the Ibáñez–Saavedra text passing 3–1–1.
The amendments target the bill that was originally meant to regulate online betting. One comes from Senators Núñez and Gatica, the other from Senators Ibáñez and Saavedra. The two texts are headed for a merger, after which the bill moves to the Senate Finance Committee (Comisión de Hacienda). It is not law: the bill is in its second constitutional stage and the committee is still working through it article by article.
What the committee voted on
The committee backed both amendments, but the vote counts differ by text. BioBioChile puts the tally of 3 in favor, 1 against and 1 abstention on the Ibáñez–Saavedra amendment. According to ADPrensa, Senator Walker voted against that text and Senator Vodanovic abstained. On the Núñez–Gatica text, the same outlet reports that Walker abstained, while Senators Ossandón, Ibáñez and Saavedra supported it.
The Ibáñez–Saavedra amendment would replace the bill entirely. Per BioBioChile and T13, it prohibits operating, administering, offering and advertising online betting platforms, directly or indirectly. The Núñez–Gatica text, framed by CNN Chile and ADPrensa as aimed at platforms "without legal authorization," closes off any private licensing market.
The vote lands after the Kast government filed its own licensing amendments. Our earlier report on Chilean senators pushing an online gambling ban as the government files a licensing plan covers that filing. Nuevo Poder notes the approved texts do not include the government's proposal.
How the two texts compare
The amendments share a goal but differ in scope, exemptions and sanctions.
| Provision | Núñez–Gatica | Ibáñez–Saavedra |
|---|---|---|
| Approach | No private licensing market | Replaces the bill entirely |
| Scope | Platforms without legal authorization | Operating, administering, offering and advertising online betting platforms, directly or indirectly |
| Exemptions | Activities expressly authorized under special laws | Polla Chilena de Beneficencia and racetracks |
| Blocking | Permanent court blocking of sites; payment restrictions | Blocking of access and payment means |
| Penalties | Up to 15 years in prison and fines up to 10,000 UTM in aggravated cases | 541 days to 5 years in prison for profit-making operators |
| Committee vote | Walker abstained; Ossandón, Ibáñez and Saavedra in favor | 3 in favor, 1 against (Walker), 1 abstention (Vodanovic) |
The UTM (Unidad Tributaria Mensual) is a monthly tax unit used to express fines in Chilean law. In the Núñez–Gatica text, the top penalties apply to aggravated cases, which include deliberately targeting minors or continuing to operate after a final blocking order. The 15-year ceiling therefore does not describe the Ibáñez–Saavedra text, whose maximum is 5 years.
Arguments behind the vote
According to G5 Noticias, Saavedra said his text places online gaming alongside Polla Chilena de Beneficencia, the state-linked lottery operator, and cited rising gambling addiction and household debt. BioBioChile reports that Ibáñez argued the Supreme Court has already declared the business illegal and ordered online betting houses closed.
Industry opposition is organized. Nuevo Poder reports that the operator group aPAL, whose members include Coolbet and Betway, opposes a ban and argues it would push demand toward illegal sites. That is the central policy dispute: whether prohibition reduces play or moves it offshore.
What comes next for operators
The next milestone is the merged text at the committee's next session. Operators serving Chilean players should watch which exemptions and penalty ranges survive the merger, since the two amendments take different approaches to both. The Finance Committee review follows.
Tax enforcement is moving in parallel. La Tercera reported in a headline that the Chamber of Deputies approved a 2027 Budget amendment barring the Servicio de Impuestos Internos (SII), Chile's tax service, from spending resources to collect taxes from online betting platforms.
Chile has been moving on gambling restrictions for several years. Lawmakers previously advanced limits on betting advertising, as in our report on Chile's sports gambling advertising bill moving to the Senate, and regulators and consumer authorities discussed sports betting in the meeting between Chile's SCJ and SERNAC. In the region, Paraguay's Senate is weighing its own overhaul, detailed in our coverage of the Paraguay bill to replace Conajzar and toughen illegal gambling penalties.
Status reviewed on 12 November 2026. Vote counts, penalties and exemptions come from Chilean press reports on the committee session. More regulation news and Latin America coverage.
Frequently asked questions
Has Chile banned online betting?
Not yet. On 9 November 2026 the Senate Economy Committee approved two amendments that would prohibit online betting platforms, but the bill is still in its second constitutional stage. The committee is reviewing it article by article, the two texts are due to be merged, and the Finance Committee must still examine the bill.
How did the Senate Economy Committee vote on the online betting amendments?
According to BioBioChile, the Ibáñez–Saavedra text passed 3 in favor, 1 against and 1 abstention. ADPrensa reports Senator Walker voted against that text and Senator Vodanovic abstained. On the Núñez–Gatica text, Walker abstained, while Senators Ossandón, Ibáñez and Saavedra backed it.
What penalties do the Chilean online betting amendments propose?
The Núñez–Gatica text provides up to 15 years in prison and fines up to 10,000 UTM (monthly tax units) in aggravated cases, such as deliberately targeting minors or operating after a final blocking order. The Ibáñez–Saavedra text sets 541 days to 5 years in prison for profit-making operators.
Which gambling operators are exempt from the proposed Chilean ban?
The Ibáñez–Saavedra amendment exempts Polla Chilena de Beneficencia and racetracks, according to BioBioChile. The Núñez–Gatica text targets platforms without legal authorization and protects activities expressly authorized under special laws. The texts are still to be merged, so final exemptions may change.
What happens next with Chile's online betting bill?
The Senate Economy Committee is expected to merge the two approved amendments at its next session. The bill then moves to the Senate Finance Committee (Comisión de Hacienda). It remains in its second constitutional stage and cannot become law until the full legislative process is completed.
