Two deputies from Chile's UDI party have asked the National Television Council (CNTV) to suspend all television advertising by online betting operators. Eduardo Cretton and Marco Antonio Sulantay argue that continued promotion of unlicensed platforms contradicts state efforts to block unauthorised betting sites.
Chile's Supreme Court ruled in September 2025 that telecommunications companies must block unauthorised betting websites. The Santiago Court of Appeals approved a mechanism under which the Superintendency of Casinos and Gaming (SCJ) identifies domains for blocking, and the Undersecretary of Telecommunications instructs providers to block access. The system is designed to add new domains continuously rather than work from a fixed list.
The deputies say the same approach should apply to advertising. 'Allowing betting companies to advertise while courts ban their operations sends an absolutely inconsistent signal from the state, especially when this activity is conducted outside the law,' Cretton and Sulantay told BioBioChile. They argued that court bans are pointless if the companies continue mass advertising to Chileans.
The deputies also cited risks to minors and people with gambling addiction. CNTV has already fined television channels for showing betting ads during protected hours intended for family audiences. The lawmakers now want a full ban regardless of time of day.
The request comes against the backdrop of online betting's uncertain legal status in Chile. The Senate is working on a bill to create a licensing system for operators, covering taxation, responsible gambling and oversight. The government fast-tracked the bill in 2026, but no framework law has been passed yet.
