Chile is moving forward with a bill that could introduce licences for private online gambling operators. But the government also wants to ban online betting advertising, including ads for licensed platforms. That leaves casino affiliates, sportsbook publishers and LATAM marketers with an uncomfortable question: if operators can get a licence, will anyone be allowed to promote them?
Status as of November 2, 2026: Chile's online gambling bill is still under debate. The licensing and advertising changes described below are proposals, not rules already in force.
What Affiliates Need to Know
Chile's online betting bill (No. 14.838-03) remains in the Senate's second legislative stage.
Government amendments submitted on October 26 propose five-year operator licences, annual fees and new gambling taxes.
The same package proposes a broad advertising ban, even for licensed online betting sites, plus restrictions on promotional bonuses.
Whether specific review sites, referral links or independent editorial content would fall within the final advertising rules is not yet settled.
Affiliates should review Chile-facing campaigns and operator terms rather than assume a new regulated affiliate market is ready to open.
What Is Changing in Chile's Online Gambling Bill?
The legislation began in 2022. On October 26, 2026, Chile's government submitted a new package of amendments, and the Senate's Economy Committee began examining them on October 27. The Senate's legislative record confirms that work is continuing, not that the final law has passed.
Government proposal | What it could mean |
|---|---|
Five-year licences | Private online operators could apply for formal authorisation if the bill becomes law. |
Annual licence charge of 1,000 UTM | Operators would face a recurring licence cost. UTM is a Chilean tax unit whose peso value changes. |
19% VAT on the monthly difference between stakes and prizes, plus an additional 3% tax | Operators would need to account for a new tax structure when pricing and negotiating deals. |
Ban on online gambling advertising and acquisition or retention bonuses | A licensed operator might still have very limited ways to attract new players. |
Transitional licensing conditions | Some existing operators could seek temporary authorisation, subject to fees and other conditions. |
These terms are drawn from the October 29 iGaming Business report and reporting on the government's amendments. Competing legislative proposals are also on the table, so the final result may be different.
Chile is already taking action against unauthorised sites. On September 1, the telecommunications authority Subtel ordered the blocking of 42 gambling URLs under court decisions. A proposed licensing regime should not be mistaken for permission to advertise sites that lack legal authorisation today.
Could Chile's Gambling Advertising Ban Affect Affiliates?
Yes, potentially. The government's amendments seek to prohibit online betting advertising whether the operator is licensed or not. According to Emol's October 27 reporting, the proposed wording extends beyond the operator to businesses and people involved in commissioning, producing, distributing or arranging advertising.
For a sportsbook affiliate buying ads, a casino influencer working on sponsorships or a publisher selling paid promotional placements, that breadth matters. A licence for the operator would not automatically give its marketing partners permission to run campaigns.
What about review sites and affiliate links?
The available reporting does not establish a blanket exemption for casino comparison sites, SEO articles or referral links. Nor does it prove that every independent, unpaid article would be prohibited. The treatment of particular content depends on the final legal text and how the rules define advertising and promotion.
The proposal also contains a narrow transition for some existing advertising contracts with temporarily licensed platforms, potentially lasting up to one year and subject to restrictions on scheduling. That is not a general one-year grace period for every affiliate campaign.
Will New Gambling Licences Create Affiliate Opportunities in Chile?
Only if operators can lawfully reach customers and affiliate activity is permitted. A regulated market could attract licensed betting brands, new comparison searches and demand for Chile-focused content. None of that guarantees an affiliate programme can recruit customers through ordinary referral marketing.
Three outcomes are worth watching: lawmakers may keep the broad advertising ban; they may create narrower rules or specific permissions; or the licensing bill may change or face more delays. For affiliates, each outcome calls for a different traffic and partnership strategy.
Chile is also a separate GEO from the rest of Latin America. A programme accepting traffic elsewhere in LATAM is not automatically authorised to accept Chilean players. Check legal market access, accepted traffic sources, operator licence status and payment availability country by country.
How Could Chile's Rules Affect CPA and RevShare Deals?
The biggest immediate commercial risk is acquisition access, not a proven change in commission rates. No new Chile-specific CPA or RevShare rate has been established by this legislation.
CPA: If legal advertising routes narrow, acquiring qualifying first-time depositors (FTDs) could become harder. Check traffic-source rules, FTD criteria and clawback terms.
RevShare: Operator tax costs do not automatically reduce affiliate commissions. The result depends on how each contract defines net gaming revenue, allowable deductions and existing-player payments. Review the Paynura Revenue Share guide when comparing terms.
Hybrid: Both the upfront acquisition payment and the ongoing revenue component may be exposed to changes in traffic permissions or operator contract terms. See how Hybrid deals work.
A publisher with existing Chilean traffic should also ask whether historic player attribution and commissions would continue if an operator changes its market access or licensing status. The bill does not answer every private contract question; written confirmation from the operator or network matters.
What Should Casino and Sportsbook Affiliates Do Now?
Separate Chile traffic in your reporting. Review clicks, registrations and FTDs by GEO before assessing possible exposure.
Ask operators for written Chile eligibility rules. Confirm whether the brand may accept Chilean players and which marketing methods are authorised today.
Audit promotional content. Flag paid ads, sponsored posts, bonus-led calls to action and referral placements for legal review. Do not assume organic traffic is automatically exempt.
Check your affiliate contract. Focus on GEO exclusions, NGR deductions, tracking continuity, termination rights and outstanding commissions. Paynura's affiliate tracking guide can help with attribution checks.
Watch the final Senate text. Track the advertising definition, transitional provisions and any implementation dates before allocating a Chile-specific acquisition budget.
Chile Online Gambling Regulation FAQ
Is online gambling legal in Chile in 2026?
Chile has not yet enacted the private online gambling licensing system described in Bill 14.838-03. The government is proposing a new regulated framework, while existing unauthorised gambling sites have faced enforcement and blocking orders. Affiliates should not treat a website being accessible as proof that it can lawfully operate or advertise in Chile.
Can casino affiliates advertise licensed operators in Chile?
There is no general permission under the pending bill that affiliates can rely on today. The government's October 2026 proposal would prohibit advertising even for licensed online betting operators. The exact treatment of affiliates will depend on the final law and its interpretation.
Will Chile's gambling advertising ban include affiliate links?
The proposal is broad enough to raise concern about paid referrals and promotional affiliate placements, but available sources do not settle how every SEO review, editorial comparison or tracking link would be classified. Publishers should obtain legal guidance for their content and traffic sources before promoting to Chilean users.
When will Chile issue new online gambling licences?
No confirmed launch date had been established as of November 2, 2026. The bill remained in the Senate's legislative process. The start of licence applications, advertising obligations and any transition period will depend on what lawmakers finally approve.
What happens to existing Chile affiliate commissions?
The proposals do not automatically determine what an operator owes an affiliate under an existing contract. Affiliates should check player attribution, outstanding commissions, the operator's legal status and any GEO-related termination terms directly with the programme.
Chile's Gambling Market Is Changing. Check the Rules Before Scaling
Chile's proposed licences could change who is allowed to operate online. Yet the planned advertising ban may limit how even authorised brands acquire customers. For casino and sportsbook affiliates, the final advertising language matters as much as the licence rules.
If you work with LATAM iGaming traffic, Paynura's sportsbook affiliate network and wider casino, poker and eWallet opportunities can help you compare programmes for legally eligible markets and traffic sources. Discuss the GEO and commission terms before launching any campaign.
Become a Paynura partner to review relevant affiliate opportunities. Chile-specific promotions should only proceed after their legal eligibility is confirmed.