With the approval of the Chamber of Deputies of the project that prohibits sports sponsorships by the gambling and betting industry, the emerging market in Chile could be differentiated from the development that is being seen in the rest of Latin America.
The project, however, has received several indications in the session of this Wednesday (30), so it will be evaluated again by the Sports Commission of the Chamber to define how the regulations continue to advance.
In any case, both sectors are preparing for the consequences of the entry into force of the project, since currently 11 of the 16 Chilean first division football clubs, along with the National Team, have sponsorship agreements with sports betting operators.
The project proposes the prohibition of the celebration of any type of act or contract between online betting platforms with sports organizations, be they professionals, clubs, associations, foundations, federations and others.
The initiative establishes sanctions such as fines ranging from 150 to 2,000 UTM for offenders. Also, it stipulates that whoever owns property or shares in online betting companies cannot be part of the board of directors of a sports organization, whether professional or not.
Another article of the initiative prohibits the advertising and sponsorship of online betting platforms, "whatever the means or support by which it is transmitted or published and whatever the time or event in which it is advertised or sponsored."
In addition, the advertising of these platforms is prohibited "in all types of clothing, equipment of members of sports organizations, whatever their name and sports discipline, whether they are athletes, coaching staff, leaders, medical professionals or assistants"; and in venues intended for training or competitions.”
Legally authorized bookmakers may broadcast advertising on television only between 10:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m.; on radio, between 8:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m.; and in written media, it may not be inserted in supplements or sports segments.
Marco Antonio Sulantay, UDI deputy who authored the initiative, clarified that the project must return to the Sports Commission "where we intend to improve it, expand it if necessary, and the most important thing is that when it leaves the commission again and goes to the Senate , that they also have the respective speed, because they are legislating on a very sensitive issue, where there are many resources involved and there is tax collection that the State of Chile is not receiving.”
The parliamentarian indicated that he will ask the Government to give urgency to the project based in the Economic Commission that seeks to regulate the bets of online casinos.
Source: GMB
