USS policy centre reports 63.5% support for strict betting regulation in Chile
Regulation2 min read
The Public Policy Centre at the University of San Sebastián published a survey on online betting in Chile, finding that 63.5% of respondents supported strict regulation and state oversight. The survey found 30.8% favoured a total ban and 4.3% wanted no restrictions; 98.6% supported identity checks before users could bet.
The University of San Sebastián's Public Policy Centre said 63.5% of respondents to a survey in Chile supported strict regulation and state oversight of online betting platforms. A total ban was favoured by 30.8%, while 4.3% wanted the platforms allowed without restrictions. The survey was published during legislative discussion of online gambling, which operates in Chile without a specific regulatory framework.
The survey found that 98.6% of respondents believed a future law should require platforms to verify users' identities before allowing them to enter and bet. Protecting minors through age and identity checks was rated important or very important by 98.3%. Felipe Bettancourt, a researcher at the Public Policy Centre and academic at the university's Faculty of Economics, Business and Government, said age and identity checks, suspicious transaction reporting and sanctions for unlicensed operators each had support above 97%, including among respondents who favoured a ban.
Preventing fraud, money laundering and organised crime financing was considered crucial by 98.6% of respondents. Mandatory reporting of suspicious transactions had 98.4% support, while 95% backed independent regulatory audits of licensed operators.
The survey found that 95.3% supported betting companies paying tax in Chile. Higher tax rates than those applied to other sectors were favoured by 54.2%, while 42.4% preferred the same tax treatment as any other company.
Allocating funds through legislation to prevent, research and treat problem gambling was supported by 84.5% of respondents, with 61.4% considering it very important. The risk of developing problem gambling behaviour was considered moderate or very common by 85.4% of respondents for online casinos, 83.5% for physical casinos and 82.8% for virtual sports betting. Protecting consumers from fraud and problem gambling behaviour had 95% support. Respondents backed easily accessible mandatory deposit and spending limits at 89.9%, a central self-exclusion register shared by online and land-based operators at 86.3%, and gambling session duration controls at 85.5%.