Chileans are known to have gambled in many different forms for hundreds of years. Gambling in Chile started in a rather secretive manner in the taverns.
The growth of Gambling in Chile is closely associated with one Santiago Chena, who traversed across Chilean cities out of his passion for gambling, particularly card tricks. Most of the ancient rulers made serious attempts to combat gambling. However, most of these measures did not bear much fruit.
In the early 19th century, an English tourist, Alejandro Caldcleugh, visited Chile and observed that Chileans were particularly fond of gambling. This culture made it apparent that the love for gambling among the Chileans was unstoppable.
In light of these, the government opted to legalize casino gaming to control the gambling phenomenon in the municipalities. And in 1852 Chile licensed the first land-based casinos. After that, the people became quite fond of the casinos as they offered new and exciting games.
The popularity of gambling increased considerably. It resulted in modifications in the laws in an attempt to arrest the gambling craze at the time. However, the current gambling laws were passed back in 2004. The Federal Gambling Commission was also formed to help regulate or oversee all gambling activities.
Gambling in Chile Nowadays
According to laws set in 2004, no specific regulations govern online gambling. The rules are also relatively lax, meaning players can access offshore online gambling accounts without getting into much trouble with the authorities. Past occurrences also indicate that the Chilean government is quite lenient regarding gambling activities.
Currently, the online gambling industry in the country is booming. The industry is so successful that the Chilean government is considering amendments to the gambling laws to make online casinos legal.
Some of the factors contributing to Chile's thriving online gambling industry include the availability of many quality games, a wide variety of accepted payment methods, and attractive promotional offers. In addition, the high internet connectivity rates in the country also make new online casinos more accessible.
Future of Casinos in Chile
Judging by all indications, the casino industry is going to continue thriving in the future. Despite online gambling being illegal, the government imposes nearly no penalties for it. The plans to amend the laws and legalize online gambling will also give quite a huge boost to the industry.
However, the Chilean government is known for being extremely cautious regarding such decisions. That means there is a likelihood that the government will retain some restrictions, even when the law changes. Such conditions are likely to affect gambling operators more as they run the industry.
Other changes that are likely to happen regarding the online gambling industry in Chile include introducing new technologies, such as 3D gaming using VR.
Payment methods are also expected to accept the Chilean Peso instead of limiting the currency options to only the major international currencies. Players will also enjoy better protection as the new laws will ban all unlicensed online casinos.
Casino types
