Chile’s Sports Minister Francisco Riveros has called for greater regulation of sponsorship agreements between sports clubs and online betting companies. This comes as the country continues to debate how to regulate the sector.
Speaking on the Cómo te lo explico podcast, Riveros said he does not support these sponsorship arrangements while Chile lacks a regulatory framework for online betting. He added that policymakers must decide whether to prohibit the platforms or establish rules for foreign companies already operating in the country.
Sports Sponsorships Face Regulatory Questions
Riveros said any future framework should address gambling among minors and define the relationship between betting companies and professional athletes.
He said Chile would need to determine whether active athletes could represent betting companies or participate in sponsorship and advertising agreements.
The minister also said he needed more information before taking a position on whether online betting should ultimately be regulated or prohibited. The government of President José Antonio Kast is examining the issue. However, Riveros said the Sports Ministry had not been directly consulted on the regulatory work.
Chile Continues Blocking Betting Domains
The sponsorship debate comes as Chilean authorities continue blocking domains associated with online betting platforms.
On September 21, the Subsecretaría de Telecomunicaciones (Subtel) ordered internet providers to block 37 additional domains, subdomains and mirror sites linked to online betting and gambling platforms. The list was validated by the Superintendencia de Casinos de Juego (SCJ). Providers were given 48 hours to implement the DNS blocks.
The action followed earlier court decisions requiring the blocking of unauthorised online gambling sites. Subtel said the process will continue to cover new domains that are specifically identified, verified and validated by the SCJ.
Government Maintains Current Approach
Transport and Telecommunications Minister Juan Carlos Muñoz has defended Subtel’s role in implementing the court-ordered blocking process.
The authorities face an ongoing technical challenge because operators can establish alternative domains after existing sites are blocked. As a result, Subtel has established a process for repeatedly identifying and blocking new domains. This is done through coordination with the SCJ and internet providers.
For betting operators and sports organisations, the continuing debate creates uncertainty around sponsorship, advertising and market access. Any future regulatory framework could also determine how betting companies interact with clubs, athletes and other sports properties in Chile.
