- Online gambling platforms face a decisive year for regulation, with payment systems emerging as a key tool to combat informality and protect users.
Santiago, December xx 2026.- Following a year marked by regulatory adjustments, shifting political dynamics and operational challenges, Chile’s online gambling market faces a critical moment to define its future. Today, 83% of betting activity continues to operate irregularly following a Supreme Court ruling. However, industry experts suggest that what initially appeared to be a series of setbacks may, in fact, be laying the groundwork for formalization in 2026.
“Everything points to 2026 being the year when legislation is finally approved,” says Andre Boesing, General Manager, South LatAm at OKTO. “There is a broad consensus that regulating payment methods is essential to reducing the illegal market and enabling a trusted, competitive industry. This, in turn, could unlock significant international investment and position Chile into one of Latin America’s most robust gaming jurisdictions.”
The industry began 2025 with the introduction of the Online Gambling Bill and ended the year with the proposal returning to Congress for further review. While this delay has been challenging for operators and the broader ecosystem, the extended discussion also created space to reassess what a functional and fair regulatory framework should look like, particularly in a market long influenced by offshore actors.
As debates evolved, concerns intensified around proposed Gross Gaming Revenue (GGR) tax levels ranging from 20% to 38%, with many analysts warning that excessively high rates may unintentionally strengthen illegal operators instead of curbing them. Discrepancies between governmental and private-sector revenue projections further underlined the need for a balanced, realistic regulatory model.
A key turning point came when the Supreme Court ordered the blocking of 12 illegal platforms. Boesing explains: “Telecommunications companies complied immediately, but operators quickly bypassed the blocks through domain changes and redirects. He demonstrated the weakness of relying solely on website blocking and reinforced the urgency of regulating financial flows rather than URLs.”
According to the company’s South LatAm GM, payment regulation has now emerged as “the key to formalizing the industry and unlocking the betting market’s potential as a source of revenue, employment and economic growth for Chile.”
“If we change the way the game is played, everyone can win,” Boesing concludes. “With new legislation requiring all actors to adhere to the same standards, including robust KYC processes, anti-money laundering systems and greater traceability, betting providers will also have the opportunity to turn every payment into a smoother, more personalized experience that drives customer loyalty and satisfaction.”
OKTO emphasizes that it stands as a collaborative partner to all sides of the ecosystem, supporting regulators with proven expertise in compliant payment architectures that help reduce illegal activity, while also empowering merchants and operators with solutions that enhance user experience, increase conversion, and align with evolving regulatory requirements. This balanced role positions the company to help Chile advance toward a regulated, fair, and future-ready online gambling framework, without enabling actors who choose to remain outside the law.
If 2025 exposed the weaknesses of the gambling market in Chile, 2026 could be the year the country finally reshuffles the deck and finally plays to win. With thoughtful legislation and modern payment regulation, the country has a unique opportunity to transform challenges into long-term value, creating a safer, more competitive market for consumers, operators, investors, and the state.
About OKTO
OKTO is the next-generation Payment Service Provider – AI-native, precision-engineered, and relentlessly merchant-obsessed.
Built for merchants operating in the most complex and demanding eCommerce sectors, our platform does far more than process transactions. We solve for scale, compliance, and performance — with one unshakable focus: delivering outcomes that powers merchants growth.
From payments and banking to treasury and settlement, we engineer the financial infrastructure that gives our partners an edge. The result? Faster onboarding, smarter operations, and resilient, real-time performance.
At OKTO, we enable merchants to Play Differently, transforming payments from routine transactions into genuine differentiators that create personalized, frictionless payment experiences for their customers.
Our AI-native innovation harnesses data and insight to power every decision, while our proprietary, in-house engineering ensures precision and control. Combined with deep, trust-based relationships across the globe, we’re redefining what it means to build, scale, and win in complex and demanding digital commerce.
