W&C N.V., which operates Latamwin and WinChile, and the operator of Epicbet have filed separate constitutional protection actions in Chile against the Superintendence of Casinos (SCJ) and the Undersecretariat of Telecommunications (Subtel), challenging the country's website blocking regime.
The actions follow orders to internet providers to block 42 URLs and then another 37 domains, subdomains and mirrors. Under that procedure the SCJ reviews the addresses of allegedly illegal platforms, and Subtel passes them to the providers. Those providers then have to apply DNS blocks and report back to the Santiago Court of Appeals.
W&C says Latamwin and WinChile were not among the 12 sites in the original Supreme Court case, and that its properties were not mirrors or redirects of those domains. The Santiago Court of Appeals accepted the action and asked the SCJ and Subtel for reports. It did not lift the block, so the sites stayed unreachable while the case runs. Acceptance is not a ruling on whether the blocks are lawful.
The Epicbet operator argued that Subtel removed a proviso on the limit of the order, under which new blocks were possible only for the 12 original sites or their direct copies, mirrors and redirects. The Santiago Court of Appeals found that action inadmissible, so the Supreme Court will decide how the case proceeds. The SCJ says it followed the procedure set by the court and only checked the addresses submitted to it. Subtel describes its own role as technical, saying it does not assess the legality of content because it only passes verified domains to providers.
Betting bill in the Senate
The disputes are running in parallel with Senate debate on an online betting bill, which is at its second constitutional stage. The text introduces a licensed market, consumer protection, responsible gaming rules, advertising restrictions, protection of minors and measures against illegal operators. The Senate extended the deadline for amendments to 26 October, giving the government time to align its proposals. The original deadline expired at noon on 16 October and the cabinet's amendments had not been filed. Interior and Public Security Minister Claudio Alvarado put the pause down to technical consultations aimed at finding consensus.
