"Online platforms are much better prepared” than casinos to tackle problem gambling, says Carlos Baeza, betting house lawyer

Although Baeza believes that these institutions “have to be regulated,” there is concern in the sector regarding some articles of the law. The proposal was presented by former president Sebastián Piñera in 2021. In this regard, Baeza considers that “it is a good project, but it has had changes in its processing that generate problems that we see with concern. We have the vision of the industry.”

Transitional items
The inconvenience would be mainly caused by two transitional articles, which establish a “retroactive tax burden” and “a punishment”, which implies that all online betting houses “that operate in the Chilean market today, will not be able to do so in the period transient". This time frame corresponds to twelve months. On the other hand, Baeza indicates that online betting houses “will have to pay a retroactive tax from 36 months prior” to the publication of the law. The reason for the annoyance with these regulations, as Baeza explains, is that they have “technical legal problems. There are complex situations from a constitutional point of view that prevent the law from establishing this.” The lawyer added that Chile proposes “a tax burden equivalent to 37.8%. If we compare that with the world, we would be the country with the highest tax burden.”

Asked about the risks that gambling presents for consumers, Baeza indicates that not all gambling problems are problem gambling: “What is called problematic gambling occurs worldwide in a percentage between 1% and 3%,” points out the lawyer. Likewise, compared to casinos, Baeza thinks that “online platforms are much better prepared” to combat risk situations for users. In a casino “no one knows anything” about people's gaming patterns. On the other hand, online platforms would have more information. On the other hand, “the project establishes a national policy for responsible online betting,” says Baeza. “There is a point of the tax burden, and it is 1%, which is intended to promote this national responsible betting policy,” he added.