Chile Senate pushes tax on illegal online betting platforms

Chile's Senate is debating a controversial tax on online betting platforms that the Supreme Court has declared illegal. The Internal Revenue Service (SII) issued Resolution Exempt No. 69 on 2 June 2026, confirming it will collect taxes from these operators despite the court ruling. Senator Esteban Velásquez (FRVS) denounced the move as a new form of "money‑laundering" of illicit gambling, likening it to past scandals involving fraudulent political financing. The proposal follows a Senate vote approving the draft law with 27 votes in favour, three against and five abstentions, marking a shift toward regulating a market that now reaches about 30 % of Chileans and has left roughly US$94 million in unpaid taxes. Critics warn the policy could erode public trust in the tax authority, while supporters argue it will finally bring the largely unregulated sector under state oversight.