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Chile’s Chamber of Deputies has approved a series of consumer protection amendments to the bill to legalise online gambling, in the midst of a government investigation into the football association’s relationship with online gambling sponsors.
The amendments were signed off on by the Economy Commission, the majority of which were standard procedural amendments to protect gamblers.
A player is limited to one account per betting operator, people who are in debt or owe alimony cannot open an account and platforms must have a system to alert them to users who veer off course from their normal pattern of play.
A bill that would allow for widespread licensing of online gambling companies in Chile has been steadily making its way through the political process.
Meanwhile, in a radio interview, justice minister Luis Cordero publicly confirmed that his ministry is carrying out an investigation into the relationship between the Professional Football Association (ANFP) and online betting platforms as part of a larger investigation into the ANFP.
A request to investigate sponsorship arrangements was first submitted in December 2022 by deputy Sebastián Videla to the Ministry of Sport and Ministry of Justice and Human Rights.
At the time, Videla cited "the legality of the ANFP having commercial ties with online casino companies, which are not authorised by law in Chile, be reported".
He asked for “a special investigation of the ANFP in order to review its statutes".
That investigation is now in its final stages, according to Cordero.
"At some point, the legal affairs department wanted to carry out an on-site audit, to which the ANFP was opposed, but finally it was done."
"The auditing process has to do with the contracts that the ANFP has signed with the bookmakers," he said.
According to Carlos Baeza, a gaming lawyer who works with the likes of Latamwin, Coolbet, Betsson and Betano, the investigation “is simply going to confirm whether the ANFP complies with its statutes and they are going to make some recommendations”.
The local press has reported that the Ministry of Justice may cancel the legal status of the ANFP, which Baeza says is impossible.
“The minister of justice in his statement has been very cautious and has never said that the contracts with the online betting platform and the ANFP are a cause for sanctioning or eventually any breach of the bylaws of that entity.
“He has simply said that the Ministry of Justice, within its powers, is investigating the ANFP, precisely because it is within the powers of the Ministry of Justice to confirm whether or not they have complied with their bylaws,” said Baeza.
The lower house of the Chamber of Deputies is currently debating the bill to regulate online gambling, with further developments expected at the end of August.
