Chile has strengthened oversight of its gambling industry through two major regulatory actions affecting both the online and land-based sectors. On one front, 25 online betting platforms, operated by 19 companies, have registered with the Internal Revenue Service (Servicio de Impuestos Internos – SII) to begin declaring and paying the country's 19% Value Added Tax (VAT) on digital services. At the same time, the Superintendence of the Environment (Superintendencia del Medio Ambiente – SMA) has launched a review of the environmental permit that allowed construction of the Dreams Talca casino project to move forward. Together, the measures signal tighter government oversight of Chile's gaming industry.
SII and Chile Casino Association clash over taxation
On the tax front, the SII, headed by Director Jorge Trujillo and operating under the Ministry of Finance, led by Finance Minister Jorge Quiroz, confirmed that 25 betting platforms registered one day after the agency announced enforcement actions against operators failing to comply with Chile's VAT rules.
Chile strengthens online gambling blocks as traffic surpasses 72 million visits
The obligation is based on Exempt Resolution No. 69 of 2 June 2026, complemented by Official Letter No. 1,658 of 8 July 2026, which clarified how the taxable base should be calculated.
Jorge Quiroz
Registered operators include Betano, Bet365, Betsson, Coolbet, PokerStars, GGPoker, Betcris, Stake, Betway, LeoVegas, Novibet, TonyBet, Roobet, TheLotter, Jugabet, Epic Bet, RojaBet and 1win. Operators that fail to register will be subject to Chile's VAT withholding mechanism, under which banks, card issuers and payment service providers automatically withhold the 19% VAT on transactions processed in the country.
Meanwhile, the SMA, headed by Superintendent Claudia Pastore has initiated a review of the Environmental Qualification Resolution (Resolución de Calificación Ambiental – RCA) granted to the Dreams Talca project after petitions submitted by local community organizations challenging aspects of the environmental assessment.
The review will determine whether sufficient legal and technical grounds exist to amend or revoke the environmental authorization granted to Dreams S.A., whose project includes a casino, hotel, restaurants and an events center in Chile's Maule Region. Conducted under the Environmental Impact Assessment System (SEIA), the process could affect the project's future or impose additional environmental requirements. Together, the two proceedings underscore Chile's determination to strengthen oversight of both digital gambling taxation and large-scale casino developments.
