The history of gambling in Chile takes us back all the way to 1852. This year marks the first time when land-based casinos were licensed and deemed legal to operate.
People were very fond of these facilities as they visited them regularly to play the latest casino games. Of course, during these years, the selection was not that vast, but since this type of gaming was new, players were happy to give them a try every once in a while.
Since then, gambling regulations have been subject to changes numerous times. The government did this to adapt to the new climate and make sure that this industry is well-controlled. AS for the law that is currently in effect – it was passed in 2004.
With the new gambling law, the aforementioned Federal Gambling Commission was formed to oversee all types of gambling-related activities. Not only that, but the number of casinos that were able to operate in Chile was increased to 24. Sports betting, lottery, and poker are also included in the law.
But, when it comes to online gambling, the law does not have any specific regulations. It just states that this type of gambling is illegal.
While that may sound like bad news for Chilean players, it's actually not as bad as some may think. The good thing about online casinos in Chile is that they are not well-regulated and even though online casinos are not allowed to be based in Chile, the players can access off-shore sites without facing any repercussions.
The government is very lenient towards these activities, which is why Chilean players that register at online casinos do not face any penalties.
Gambling nowadays in Chile
These days, the gambling industry is booming in Chile. Thousands of people go to land-based and online casinos to have fun and experience something new and unique.
The popularity of online casinos and the fact that numerous players access them daily is the reason why the Chilean government is thinking of proposing an amendment to the gambling law and finally legalize online casinos.
Dozens of online casinos that support Spanish and English offer their services to Chileans, and even though the Chilean peso is rarely an accepted currency, that does not seem to bother the players. In most cases, they use the US dollar, which can then be converted into pesos with ease.
The popularity of online casinos is increasing at a fast rate thanks to the fact that they have tons of quality games, numerous accepted payment methods, and because even though this activity is illegal, players face no penalties.
Future of online casinos in Chile
The future of online casinos in Chile is looking very bright. Research has shown that even though online casinos are formally illegal, that does not seem to bother the residents here as they access these sites on a daily basis. Thousands of them register every day and both Spanish and English online casinos.
Their popularity is the main reason why the government plans on suggesting a new law – one that will finally legalize online casinos and ease access even more. After all, the benefits that both the players and the government would have are massive.
Players will finally be well-protected as the new regulations will ban all unlicensed casinos, while the government will be able to collect a lot of tax money and boost the employment rate in the country. Some experts say that these changes can happen in the next 2-3 years.
Since mobile phones are vastly used in the country, many players also have access to many mobile casinos. Check out our top listings for casino mobile Chile and choose your favorite.