TLDR
- Chile’s Internal Revenue Service passed Resolution No. 69 on June 2, 2026, requiring foreign gambling platforms to register and pay VAT
- The rule does not legalize online gambling — it only addresses tax obligations
- Casino industry leaders and senators criticized the move, calling it contradictory and potentially illegal
- The Chilean Association of Online Betting Platforms welcomed the resolution
- Online gambling legalization is still being debated in Chile’s Congress
Chile’s tax authority has ordered foreign online gambling platforms to start paying taxes, sparking a heated debate about whether the move contradicts existing law.
On June 2, 2026, Chile’s Internal Revenue Service (SII) passed Resolution No. 69. It requires gambling platforms based outside Chile to register with the agency and pay VAT on services provided to Chilean residents.
The SII said the rule is about tax fairness. It wants to stop a situation where some companies pay taxes and others don’t, even when they’re offering the same services.
VAT will apply to the full value of payments made for gambling services. Platforms that register will also owe back taxes covering the previous 36 tax periods.
The SII was clear that the resolution does not legalize online gambling. It said the measure only deals with tax collection, not with whether the platforms are operating legally.
Industry Pushback
The president of the Chilean Association of Casinos, Cecilia Valdés, strongly criticized the decision. She said the government appeared to be accepting illegal platforms just to collect tax revenue.
Valdés also pointed out that gambling platforms have advertised openly on TV and social media for years. She said this has caused confusion about their legal status in Chile.
Senator Gastón Saavedra accused the authorities of going against the rule of law. He said online gambling legislation is still being discussed in Congress and this move jumps ahead of that process.
Senator Enrique van Rysselberghe called the resolution “a mistake.” He argued that platforms breaking the law should be shut down, not registered for tax purposes.
Finance Minister Jorge Quiroz defended the SII. He said the agency was simply doing its job by collecting taxes, and it was not its place to rule on the legality of the platforms.
Support From the Betting Industry
The Chilean Association of Online Betting Platforms (APAL) welcomed the resolution. The group said it restores a proper mechanism for platforms to declare and pay taxes inside Chile.
The national casino workers’ union, Fenasicajh, said urgent legislation on online gambling is needed. It acknowledged that betting websites are now part of the industry but said they must meet the same safety standards as physical casinos.
Chile’s Superintendence of Casinos has long held that online gambling is not legally permitted in the country. The Supreme Court previously ordered platforms to stop operating and asked telecoms regulators to block them.
The legal status of online gambling in Chile remains unresolved, with the debate now set to continue in Congress.
