Chile Orders ISPs to Block 42 Illegal Online Betting Sites

Chile's telecommunications regulator has ordered the country's largest internet providers to block access to 42 URLs linked to unauthorised online betting and gambling platforms, marking one of the most extensive enforcement actions yet against the country's illegal gambling market.

Chile has stepped up its campaign against unauthorised online gambling after the Subsecretaría de Telecomunicaciones (Subtel) ordered six major internet service providers to block 42 betting-related URLs.

The instruction, announced on September 1, applies to Entel, Movistar, Claro, GTD, WOM and VTR. The companies were given a maximum of 48 hours from receiving the respective notification to implement the restrictions through Domain Name System, or DNS, blocking.

The list was submitted to Subtel after being reviewed by the Superintendencia de Casinos de Juego (SCJ), Chile's gambling authority. It includes domains associated with a number of internationally recognised betting and casino brands, including Betano, 1xBet, Betsson, Stake, bet365, Novibet, BC.Game, TonyBet and Betcris, among others.

The figure of 42 refers to individual URLs rather than 42 separate gambling companies. Several operators appear through more than one domain, reflecting one of the main challenges regulators face when attempting to restrict offshore betting platforms that can use alternative addresses, subdomains or mirror websites.

The measure implements rulings by Chile's Supreme Court and the Santiago Court of Appeals concerning the transmission of illegal gambling services. The underlying legal action was initiated by Lotería de Concepción, which challenged internet providers over access to betting platforms operating without legal authorisation in Chile.

Under the procedure outlined by Subtel, potentially illegal domains can first be identified by Lotería de Concepción or other parties involved in similar legal proceedings. The SCJ then verifies whether the websites correspond to unauthorised operators before Subtel formally instructs the relevant telecommunications companies to block them.

The internet providers must subsequently demonstrate compliance directly to the Santiago Court of Appeals and provide Subtel with a copy of the confirmation, including the exact date and time at which the restriction was implemented.

DNS blocking was selected after Subtel presented a technical assessment to the court. According to the regulator, the method provides a proportionate way to restrict access while protecting users' privacy and respecting net neutrality principles. It is also intended to reduce the risk that legitimate online services could be accidentally blocked.

Importantly, the latest order is designed to extend beyond the initial list of 42 URLs. Subtel said the same procedure can be applied to new domains, subdomains and mirror sites when they are specifically identified, verifiable and previously validated by the SCJ. This could allow Chilean authorities to react more quickly when blocked operators attempt to return under alternative internet addresses.

The enforcement action comes as Chile continues to debate a broader regulatory framework for online betting. Under the country's current legal structure, gambling is generally prohibited unless specifically authorised by law. Legal exceptions include entities such as Polla Chilena de Beneficencia and Lotería de Concepción, horse racing and authorised land-based casinos.

The SCJ continues to state that the commercial operation of private online betting platforms is illegal under the existing framework. At the same time, legislation aimed at creating a regulated online betting market remains under consideration in the Senate. The proposed framework is intended to establish licensing, consumer protection, responsible gambling controls, taxation and stronger mechanisms for combating illegal operators.

The latest blocking order therefore represents more than a temporary restriction on a group of websites. By creating a repeatable process for identifying, validating and blocking new domains and mirror sites, Chile is building a more systematic enforcement mechanism against offshore betting activity. Until lawmakers establish a regulated licensing regime, website blocking is likely to remain one of the country's most important tools for restricting access to unauthorised gambling platforms