The Chilean Supreme Court has ordered internet service providers (ISPs) to block online operators following a complaint from lottery operator Lotería de Concepción.
Gambling in Chile remains unregulated, with Lotería de Concepción and Polla Chilena de Beneficencia the two licensed lottery operators in the Andean nation.
Horseracing and a handful of land-based casinos are also authorised.
However, several international gambling operators have continued to serve customers in the market while waiting for regulation to come down the pipeline.
There were hopes this summer that regulation could be forthcoming after the Senate approved a bill, however that has since stalled.
In its complaint, Lotería de Concepción called for an injunction against several ISPs including Claro Chile, Empresa Nacional de Telecomunicaciones, GTD Manquehue, WOM and VTR Comunicaciones.
The lottery operator argued the ISPs were unresponsive and had refused to block gambling companies from offering services to players in Chile.
These firms included Betano, Coolbet, Rojabet and Betsson, which had previously held the rights to sponsor Chile’s top-flight football league, the Chilean Primera División, in 2023.
In its decision, the Supreme Court ruled in favour of Lotería de Concepción, saying the ISPs violated the lottery firm’s constitutional rights.
According to news outlet BioBioChile, the document read: “With regard to online gaming, it states that only Lotería , Polla and Teletrak are legally authorised to carry out certain games under this modality.
“Therefore, no one else may conduct online gambling, and there are no authorised online gaming platforms in Chile beyond those expressly authorised by law.”
Lotería de Concepción added in a statement: “With this ruling, the Supreme Court sets a landmark precedent: blocking illegal online gambling sites is not an option, but a legal mandate.”
The Supreme Court did not declared when the ban will come into effect.
The ruling follows the Supreme Court’s decision in 2023 to make online sports betting from offshore operators illegal.
Last month, María José Reyes, senior associate at Cariola Díez Pérez Cotapos law firm, wrote for EGR about the possibility of the regulation of igaming in Chile.
The post Chilean Supreme Court orders internet service providers to block “illegal online operators” first appeared on EGR Intel.
Ruling follows lottery operator Loteria de Concepcion filing an injunction accusing internet service providers of refusing to ban offshore igaming firms
The post Chilean Supreme Court orders internet service providers to block “illegal online operators” first appeared on EGR Intel.