Chile to review rules on sports betting advertising ahead of liberalisation
The National Congress has established a commission to review existing rules as Chile prepares to open a regulated online gambling market.
Chile.- The National Congress of Chile has announced the creation of a commission to review the country’s rules on sports betting advertising. The commission, led by sports minister Jaime Pizarro, will make recommendations ahead of the planned launch of regulated online gambling by the end of this year.
The review will include a focus on the relationships between football clubs and both international and domestic gambling companies. It will also probe a disagreement between the National Association of Professional Football (ANFP) and the Ministry of Justice about betting sponsorship.
The ministry has ordered the ANFP to enforce rules introduced in Chile’s new Sports Integrity Bill, which ban the marketing of illegal activities. However, the ANFP argues that sports betting is legal and that it expects the government to introduce a legal framework.
The governing body says it cannot prevent clubs from entering into deals with gambling companies. The ANFB itself has a deal with Betsson, which sponsors Chile’s Campeonato Nacional. The commission is expected to report its findings within 120 days.
Its report will be considered by the Chamber of Deputies as it drafts legislative provisions for Bill 035/2022, which is intended to open up the gambling market in Chile. The legislation will end the current three-pronged monopoly of the lottery operator Loteria Concepción, the football pool operator Polla Chilena and the pari-mutuel horse racing betting operator Teletrak Chile.
In June, the Ministry of Finance published a guidance document outlining proposed technical measures for the regulation of online gambling in Chile. The guidance covers proposed measures on tax generation, market integrity and commercial standards. It proposes that the Superintendency of Casinos (SCJ) oversee the bidding process for online gambling licences as well as the monitoring and auditing of licensed platforms and operators.
