In-depth Legal Analysis: Lawyer expert in civil law prepares exhaustive report on the legality of online betting houses

In response to the recent Supreme Court ruling that declared more than 20 online betting sites “illegal”, the group of online betting platforms Betano, Betsson, Coolbet and Latamwin has intensified its legal efforts . This group, advised by lawyer Carlos Baeza, incorporated prominent specialists in civil law, among them the renowned lawyer Carlos Pizarro, with the aim of carrying out a detailed analysis of the legality of betting houses in Chile from a legal and civil perspective. 

In addition, the companies have expanded their legal team with the inclusion of the Gómez, Pallavicini & García Abogados firm, specialized in public law, economic regulation and complex litigation. Carlos Pizarro, known for his experience in high-profile cases, such as disputes between WOM and Entel, the crash of the FACh Casa C-212 plane in 2011, and cases for ENAP and Corfo-Albemarle, has joined the team to carry out a comprehensive report on the legality of online betting houses.

In his detailed 21-page report, Carlos Pizarro challenges the Supreme Court ruling by stating that the gambling contract is not prohibited under the Civil Code. He maintains that only the debt associated with said contract can be considered an illicit object, the nullity of which requires an enforceable court ruling. Pizarro criticizes the “equivocal” interpretation of the Court by extrapolating the assumption of “illicit object” of the debt to the prohibition of the contract, and from the perspective of the Civil Code, he argues that there is no clear prohibition of gambling.

From a legal perspective, Pizarro questions the basis of the ruling by using civil law as a basis to affirm the prohibition of online betting, emphasizing that it is about the exercise of betting and not a game of chance. His report seeks to shed light on the legality of online betting houses in Chile, challenging the Supreme Court's interpretation and highlighting the importance of considering the social context that tolerates gambling and betting.
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