Chile stretched along the southwest of Latin America, has one of the most advanced economies in the area, allowing Chileans to show a particular interest in sports. The national football team has appeared several times in the FIFA World Cup and lifted the Copa America twice. Tennis also ranks highly among people in Chile and is the only sport that won the country a gold Olympic medal.
The first legislation regarding gambling goes back to 1852 and has taken several forms since then. Nowadays, land-based casinos, betting shops and Chile betting sites shape the gambling landscape. Since the beginning of 2021, the government has been in the process of regulating the market, but it has been pushed back. Currently, Chileans can freely access international bookmakers, which take advantage of the loose local restrictions.
Top Betting Sites in Chile
You can pick any of the top sports betting sites in Chile that we list as they have gone through meticulous testing from our team. They stand out in terms of odds, bonuses and have markets and events from the Chilean Primera División and every reputable league around the globe.
Sport Betting Sites Chile - 5 Things to Know
- 1 Legal gambling age in Chile is 18 years
- 2 The annual revenue of gambling is over USD 800 million
- 3 Xperto is the only legal online bookmaker
- 4 Online gambling is typically prohibited
- 5 Betting winnings come with no tax
General info
⏩ Population: 18.000.000
⏩ Active players: 6.000.000
⏩ Currency: Chilean peso (CLP)
⏩ Regulated gambling products: Sports betting, lottery, casino games, horse racing
⏩ Operator types: Licensed & unlicensed online bookies and casinos, land-based betting shops and casinos
⏩ Designated authority: Superintendencia de Casinos de Juego (SCJ)
⏩ Status: Semi-regulated
Is Sports Betting in Chile Legal?
The gambling laws in Chile are in place today (no. 19.995, known as Casino Act 2005); go back to 2005 and ban international bookmakers but only on paper. Everyone can join and play on traditional betting powerhouses & offshore bookies. Despite that there is a state-controlled bookmaker, authorities tend to overlook bettors who opt to bet on foreign betting sites in Chile.
The Superintendencia de Casinos de Juego (regulatory authority) has also approved land-based casinos to expand online to incentivize Chileans to play locally. The SCJ allows 24 casinos to operate in the country based on region. Lotteries are also immensely popular in Chile, but again they are controlled by state-owned companies.
Essential Information for Bettors
Launching a government-backed sportsbook was the first step that the state took to exert influence in the betting market. However, most players choose to play on trusted international sport betting sites Chile offers, giving better prices, more selections and higher bonuses. Due to the lax nature of restrictions, you do not need to stealth your activity behind a VPN service.
Betting winnings come with a zero tax in Chile, regardless of where you play. Operators are bound by a 20% tax on gross gaming revenue, with 5% going to a beneficiary fund. Speculation has it that local politicians aim to apply such a tax on any foreign betting site Chile under pressure by Chilean business interests. Such an action could cause a massive exodus of international bookies, but there is no sign that this will happen soon.
How to Deposit
You can use pretty much every deposit method your preferred bookmaker gives you. That applies mainly to credit/debit cards, with which bettors overwhelmingly opt to deposit. Since betting sites Chile offers do not go under a strict auditing process, there are no worries about an unwanted activity leak.
You can deposit with a Skrill or Neteller wallet, known for privacy features if you value hidden transactions. The same goes for cryptocurrencies, provided you join a crypto-friendly betting site. You can transact with Bitcoin and Ethereum or choose one of the Tether bookmakers if you want to avoid volatility.
The Future of Betting in Chile
Since 2005 the gambling market in Chile has been in turmoil, but no significant changes have occurred. The government seemed determined to go through with the regulation in 2021, but the pandemic eventually stopped such plans. As a result, every betting site Chile offers continues to operate seamlessly in the country, and local players can join and play with no restrictions.
But what happens if the market gets, after all, regulated? It is widely expected that the SCJ will favour local bookmakers. Still, they will be no match for international powerhouses, which they will be capable of getting a license. But these are just projections. For the time being, go ahead and play on the best sports betting sites in Chile, based overseas.
Gambling in Neighboring Countries
It is wise to get to know the regulations of nearby countries, whether you are local or on a visit. Even though sometimes you do not realize you are crossing the border, rules can become much stricter or more relaxed.
If you are planning on having fun at a casino or gambling online, here is a brief overview of the situation in neighboring countries:
⏩ Argentina: has a semi-regulated gambling scene, with 10 out of 24 provinces where gambling is legal and makes up to $420mln annualy. Argentina betting sites are a mix of licensed and unlicensed bookmakers that are accessible to all residents.
⏩ Peru: enjoys complete freedom of gambling, with casinos and betting shops available both physically and online. Players can choose any bookmaker that offers it services in the country, and the Peru betting sites are very popular among locals.
⏩ Bolivia: had an unregulated market up until the early 2000s when the first land-based casino was given a license. This remains the case for betting sites in Bolivia, as players can access them without any issues. Now all forms of land-based gambling are legal as well, but the taxation for bookmakers is rather high at 30%.
Technically, international online bookmakers are illegal, but authorities turn a blind eye, so Chileans can join and play wherever they want. As long as the situation remains the same, it is unlikely that any major or offshore bookies will leave the country.
We stand behind all our recommendations in the shortlist above, as they have been tested thoroughly. For a quick hint, though, you can always go with Bet365, 22Bet and Betsson, trusted by scores of bettors.
Even though foreign bookies do not have a local license, they will usually boast one from where they are based. That could be a UKGC, an MGA or an offshore one. In any case, we put reliability first, and our listed sportsbooks have proved to be legit.
There are no restrictions regarding the banking options you can use. Credit/debit cards, wallets and cryptocurrencies are all up for players. Cards are popular due to ease-of-use while wallets and Crypto provide under-the-radar transactions.