Online Casinos Chile

Are Online Casinos Legal in Chile?

The Republic of Chile is among the Latin American countries that let you choose where to gamble. It boasts some of the best-regulated brick-and-mortar casinos in that part of the world.

With that said, online casinos are illegal in Chile. This means there are still no online casinos operating under a license issued in the country.

Chile has a long history in terms of gambling. The activity can be traced back to 1852, when the country legalised some forms of gambling.

At present, gambling is well-regulated. There are formally two lottery operators and 21 land-based operators legally operating in the country.

Still, the country is making plans to legalise online gambling within its orders. The Chilean government is looking to launch legal frameworks around online casinos soon.

Note: There are already hundreds of popular online gambling sites in Chile. Their popularity is mainly because of their affiliation with major football teams.

While the Chilean online gambling laws remain unchanged, the country began the process in 2008. For now, citizens can only take part in lottery games available at land-based casinos. Alternatively, you can try your luck at other forms of online gambling, such as sports betting.

Aside from that, the gambling laws in Chile have no limitation on where you can gamble. Chileans and tourists are free to try out foreign online casinos.

However, some of these casinos are usually unsafe and illegitimate. This calls for serious scrutiny of where you choose to play at. The best ones are usually regulated by respected gambling regulators such as the MGA, UKGC, and Curacao e-Gaming Authority.

From the looks of things, new regulations around gambling are sure to be introduced. This is especially due to the ever-changing scope of online gambling. When this happens, the Chilean iGaming space is expected to grow further.

Fire Joker

This Play’n Go slot game may be simple to many, yet it gets pretty exciting as you keep playing. It seems to be doing well in Chile. For the most part, it appears on top at various Chilean online casinos.

Fire Joker is played on a classic 5×3 grid. By filling up two adjoining reels with the same symbols, the game gifts you a free spin. Big wins are still possible in this impressive video slot.

In terms of stake, the slot lets you spin away the reels from as little as 0.05 credits. Also, the game offers five paylines that are payable from left to right. As a result, the game offers a maximum win potential of x800 your stake.

Additionally, Fire Joker has an RTP of 96.15%. It is also of high variance, which means that big wins happen less regularly.

Fire Joker Free Play.

Wild Gold

With a Native American theme, the Wild Gold slot has won the hearts of many Chilean slot lovers. Over the years, players have reaped greatly from this online slot.

The game was developed by Pragmatic Play. This is one of the most popular software developers globally. As such, you can be sure that the slot has all it takes to be a top title.

Wild Gold is played on a 5×3 game grid with 25 ways to win. To form a winning combination, you must land 3 or more matching symbols. Also, the symbols must land on adjoining reels beginning with reel 1.

That aside, Wild Gold has a 96.01% RTP, which is slightly above average. Moreover, it is of medium variance, so big wins occur less frequently.

With that said, the minimum stake required to spin away the reels is 0.25p. This is quite affordable, no matter what your budget is like.

Table Games

Chilean online casinos offer an impressive amount of table games. It is argued that they follow slot titles in popularity. As such, online casinos with vast amounts of these games are bound to do better in the industry.

Roulette

Roulette is among the oldest table games. Unlike blackjack, this one is more of luck than tactics. Still, it is quite simple to understand, which is why it’s enjoyed by many.

In this table game, you target certain numbers that range from 0 to 37. You have to pick a number before the dealer rolls the ball. If the ball hits your selected number, you are declared the winner of the round.

Roulette comes in various variations. Popular ones include French, American, and European roulette.

Live Dealer Games

Gamblers in Chile also love playing live casino games. With live dealer games, you get to enjoy an interactive and immersive gaming experience.

These games let you interact directly with the dealer for realistic gameplay. For that reason, online casinos here are known to stock their live casino sections.

But what games are available? Precisely, different versions of the table games discussed above.

Most Popular Casino Payment Methods in Chile

Most Chilean online casinos will let you play your favourite games in demo mode. However, you will have to make a deposit to win withdrawable money. The best casinos in the country support a vast array of popular banking options. These include traditional payment solutions such as MasterCard and Visa.

With that said, there are modern solutions that tend to process payments faster. Each has its benefits and pitfalls. Let’s have a look at the most popular casino payment methods in Chile today.

Bitcoin

Digital currencies are becoming increasingly popular in the iGaming industry. Bitcoin is among the most popular cryptocurrencies worldwide. It has been in operation since 2008, when it was founded by an anonymous entity.

Thanks to its high market value, BTC has become an important part of the financial market. Also, it is ideal for players who like to remain anonymous as they gamble.

More than 30 online casinos in Chile now accept payment in Bitcoin. As a digital asset, the crypto is usually a safe means of transaction.

Gambling Regulator in Chile

Chile has one of the most regulated gambling industries in Latin America. The goal is to make sure that all players are safe. Also, it helps safeguard all the personal and financial information of all gamblers.

At present, the country’s gambling space is under the supervision of the Superintendency of Gaming Casinos (SCJ). The gambling regulator was established when Law No. 19995 was implemented.

All operators wishing to offer casino services in Chile must obtain licenses pursuant to the Law. As expected, it is only the regulator that can issue gambling licenses in the country.

Still, you can take a look at the Law No. 20856 to learn about the process, among other details. Alternatively, one could head to the regulator’s website for information on licensing in Chile.

Remember that the entire website is in Spanish, which is the local language. Therefore, you might need help understanding the contents of the site if Espanol is not your strong suit.

The Superintendence of Gaming Casinos issues licenses only to brick-and-mortar casinos. Meanwhile, only La Loteria de Concepcion can offer land-based lottery licenses. Not surprisingly, this regulator’s website is also in Spanish.

The licensing process in Chile is quite a lengthy one. As such, we cannot get into all the details in this article. The following is an overview of how the casino licensing process is.

• Opening Stage – In this step, the Superintendence grants a casino an opening resolution. Operators head to the regulator’s website to fill out a form. The form makes it possible for operators to download Application Systems and Technical Bases documents.
• Clarification requests – Upon downloading the aforementioned documents, the regulator lets operators request clarifications. This is to make sure that the operator understands all details about licensing. Here, operators have a maximum of 10 days to send in queries. Also, the regulator has up to 15 days to respond to these requests.
• Submission of economic and technical offers – Operators looking to obtain casino licenses must prepare and present their offers at a hearing. The regulator will communicate the hearing date on its official website.
• Evaluation – The regulator has up to 120 days after the hearing to evaluate applicants. Any applicants that fail at this stage have five business days to revise their offers.

Gambling Taxes in Chile

Chile has a well-regulated gambling industry, with fresh ideas cropping up from time to time. To facilitate the regulation process, it is understandable why the government will impose taxes. Also, the government needs to earn revenue to fund other vital state projects.

In Chile, casino players are, for the most part, exempt from taxation. Under Law No. 19995, the government considers gambling a secondary source of income. As such, Chilean players can opt not to take part altogether.

With that said, players must pay an entry into casino tax. It is calculated in terms of units, whereby a player pays Monthly Tax Units (UTMs) of 0.07. Also, this tax is paid every time you visit a gambling hall.

For offshore casinos, the Chilean government does not impose taxes on players. However, remember that your winnings may be subject to taxation based on the casino’s licensing jurisdiction.

Regarding casinos licensed in Chile, operators are not exempt from taxation. These physical casinos must pay 20% of their individual gross income. This is an annual fee that each of these casinos must remit.

Aside from that, the brick-and-mortar casinos must pay Provisional Monthly Payments (PPMs). This is to facilitate the regulation of casinos per zone.

Additionally, the gambling halls must remit net of VAT (Value Added Tax). This goes straight to the government to fund various development projects.

In 2008, the country introduced Decree No. 1411. The regulation made it legal to play certain games of chance online, such as lotteries.

Thanks to this, Chileans can place wagers on sports and play online lotteries. However, only the government currently offers these forms of gambling over the Internet.

Years later, in 2021, the government of Chile announced that it would change the country’s iGaming space. Lawmakers in the country made sure to propose a bill to legalize and regulate online gambling.

At the time of writing this piece, the lawmakers are yet to propose this bill. As such, online gambling is still illegal in the Latin American nation.

This forces players to seek such services from offshore internet casinos. Although, the government advises its citizens on the importance of exerting caution as they gamble online.

Land-Based Gambling in Chile

Land-based gambling has been legal in Chile since the 19th century. Although the first brick-and-mortar casino was established in 1852, it has since shut down.

Having said that, Chile is currently home to the biggest physical casino in Latin America. The Vina del Mar has been in operation since 1930, which makes it quite popular. It offered its services way before the country began regulating brick-and-mortar casinos.

In 2005, Chile began properly regulating land-based gambling. This was after the Superintendencia de Casinos de Juego was established to regulate this form of gambling. Land-based casinos are required by law to obtain licenses from the regulator to set up shop.

Currently, there are up to 25 physical casinos that operate legally within the Chilean borders. However, based on Law No. 19995, physical casinos must limit their operations to three zones.

Moreover, the gambling law does not allow casinos to offer services in Santiago. Still, three physical casinos have managed to set up shops very close to the city.
The three zones specified in terms of physical gambling include the South, the North, and the Central.

The North zone includes Coquimbo, Arica and Parinacota. The South zone is situated between Magallanes and La Araucania. Lastly, the Central zone includes Valparaiso and Bio Bio.

Of note, Chile has 7 land-based casinos that operate with municipal concession. They are situated in Coquimbo, Pucon, Iquique, Puerto Varas, Vina del Mar, Puerto Natales, and Arica.

The remaining 18 casinos are allowed by Law No. 19995 to operate in various cities countrywide.

The city of Valparaiso currently has the largest number of physical casinos. It boasts 3 gambling halls fully operational within its territory. Also, this is the maximum number of gambling facilities that can operate per city.

Land-based casinos in Chile offer various products allowed by the law. These include roulette, blackjack, slot machines, and poker.

…Chile has various ways to help such players.

First off, recovering problem gamblers can start with gambling therapy. In these sessions, they get the necessary emotional support. Experts in the field also help you find free and relevant assistance near you.

Secondly, you can seek assistance from gamblers’ anonymous groups. These meetings involve other recovering problem gamblers. This makes it easier for you to get the necessary help from people who understand your situation.

Alternatively, you can try out self-exclusion by locking all physical gaming locations. This is made possible through the country’s self-exclusion system. All physical casinos in Chile must associate with the set responsible gambling program.

In terms of online gambling, the country still has no self-exclusion schemes. This is because it lacks a legal framework to regulate online casinos.

The best offshore casinos have the necessary self-exclusion info on their sites. As such, you’ll have to exclude yourself from every gambling site to recover from addiction.

Did you know?

• The City of Valparaiso has the highest number of physical casinos in Chile.
• Only the government offers online lotteries in the country
• Players in Chile must pay a monthly casino entry tax
• There are no land-based casinos in the City of Santiago