Proposed legislation to restrict sports gambling advertisements in Chile advances to Senate

Chilean lawmakers are pushing for a ban on sports clubs advertising betting, with a proposed bill that would prohibit agreements between clubs and sports betting operators.

Chile’s Chamber of Deputies has passed a bill, bulletin N°14.892-29, that seeks to ban agreements between sports clubs and betting operators. The bill aims to safeguard sports integrity by addressing the risk of match-fixing, as well as protect minors from exposure to online gambling. If the bill is approved by the Senate and Parliament, it would ban sports betting advertising across all sports, including clothing and stadium sponsorship, as well as ads among clubs, associations, federations, and private companies.

The bill also includes provisions to prohibit individuals involved in sports organizations, including shareholders, from having any direct or indirect relationship with online betting platforms. Violators could face penalties, such as removal from the register of professional sports organizations.

Deputy Roberto Arroyo emphasized that online sports betting is currently illegal in Chile, but operators have disregarded the regulations set by the Sports Commission and the Chamber of Deputies. Deputy Juan Antonio Coloma suggested that a deadline should be set to phase out existing agreements.

In Chile, the only forms of gambling that are regulated are state-controlled lotteries and land-based casinos. Despite the lack of local regulation, Chilean players are able to access numerous online sports betting operators. A bill proposing the regulation of online sports betting was introduced last year, but until then, the industry remains largely unregulated in the country.