Chile's telecommunications regulator Subtel has ordered six ISPs to block 42 unauthorised betting and gambling URLs via DNS within 48 hours. Entel, Movistar, Claro, GTD, WOM and VTR must report compliance to the Santiago Court of Appeals.
The domain list was validated by the Casino Gaming Oversight body SCJ. The order follows a Supreme Court ruling that mandated blocking unlicensed sites, brought by Lotería de Concepción against telecoms operators over access to sites without local permits.
The appeals court approved a standing procedure that allows the block list to be updated as new domains and mirrors appear. Domains are submitted for review, SCJ determines whether they fall under the court order, then Subtel instructs the ISPs.
Subtel chose DNS blocking after evaluating available methods. Blocking specific validated domains was judged more proportionate than deep packet inspection and carries lower risk for privacy and net neutrality. The procedure includes error correction if a block affects a legitimate service.
The mechanism is permanent: new domains, subdomains and mirrors can be added after SCJ validation without reopening court proceedings. The initial list includes international and local betting brands, several targeting Chile.
Source: G3 Newswire.
