The Asociación Chilena de Casinos y Juegos (ACCJ) has heightened its call for stricter regulation and enforcement against illegal gambling in Chile, according to its 2025 report released on Monday. The report highlights a decline in land-based casino revenue due to competition from unauthorized gambling activities. In 2025, Chile’s land-based gambling revenue fell to CLP509.8 billion ($597.5 million), a 4.5% decrease compared to the previous year, while total tax revenue also dropped by 4.7% to CLP214 million. These trends are significant as they reflect the regulatory challenges and market dynamics impacting the industry.
Chile’s casino sector, which included 25 casinos, of which 22 were licensed under Law 19.995 and three were municipal venues in transition, saw a worrying decline in patronage. Visits to regulated casinos fell by 7.2% to 926,873 visits, indicating a shift in consumer behavior towards illegal online platforms. The illegal online gambling market in Chile was estimated to be worth around $3.1 billion, underscoring the ACCJ’s concerns about the impact of unregulated operators on the legitimate market.
The issue of illegal gambling has become so pervasive that it reached the Chilean judiciary. The Supreme Court of Chile issued a ruling to block access to illegal betting websites, aligning with ACCJ’s advocacy for more robust legal measures. President of ACCJ, Cecilia Valdes, emphasized the importance of the Supreme Court’s decision, remarking on its role in curbing the influence of offshore and unlicensed operators that undermine consumer safety and reduce taxable revenues.
Under existing Chilean law, gambling is prohibited unless conducted by the Concepción Lottery, Polla Chilena, racetracks, or licensed casinos. The ACCJ has been actively involved in legislative advocacy, particularly focusing on two key bills in 2025. The first bill, Boletín 14.838-03, aims to regulate online betting platforms and successfully passed a general vote in the Senate, moving to the committee stage for further review. The second initiative, Boletín 15.975-25, proposes creating a “Subsistema de Inteligencia Económica” to detect and prevent activities linked to organized crime, a crucial step in addressing the illegal gambling ecosystem.
The ACCJ has argued that future regulations should not only formalize existing practices but also impose comprehensive obligations such as taxation, transaction transparency, consumer protection, and strict compliance standards on all operators. These measures are intended to ensure that newly legalized platforms do not capitalize on past illegal operations without appropriate oversight.
On-the-ground enforcement has revealed a rise in clandestine gambling venues in various regions, including Antofagasta, Ovalle, Valdivia, Puerto Montt, Los Ángeles, and Castro, as well as municipalities near Santiago. The ACCJ has linked these venues to informal economies, tax evasion, and potential organized crime networks. In response, they have organized regional workshops and coordinated enforcement efforts with municipal governments, prosecutors, the Internal Revenue Service (SII), and police forces.
In addition to regulatory efforts, the ACCJ is addressing societal concerns, particularly regarding youth exposure to online gambling. A comprehensive study, “Pantallas que atrapan: Radiografía del juego online en jóvenes chilenos,” was conducted in 2025, shedding light on young Chileans’ interactions with online gambling. The study found that 26% of young people placed online bets in the last year, with the average age of gambling initiation at 15.5 years. Notably, 92% had encountered gambling advertisements on social media or livestream platforms, with micro-bets being common among youth.
Prompted by these findings, the ACCJ has broadened its outreach to include health professionals and government officials, advocating for regulation that is complemented by education, digital literacy initiatives, and mental health prevention strategies to mitigate the risks of youth gambling.
As Chile navigates these challenges, the next steps involve implementing and enforcing new regulations to address the burgeoning illegal gambling market. The ACCJ’s efforts, alongside legislative developments, signal a critical juncture for the country’s gambling industry, with ongoing regulatory reviews and potential market responses shaping the future landscape.
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