The Betting and Gaming Council (BGC) – the main association that brings together regulated betting and gambling operators in the United Kingdom, representing approximately 90% of the British regulated industry – has signed a cooperation agreement with the Association of Online Betting Platforms (aPAL) of Chile, an organization that brings together online betting operators that since 2022 have promoted a modern regulatory framework in the South American country.

What does the BGC-aPAL agreement mean for Chile?

Transfer of international experience

The agreement has a main focus: the transfer of regulatory experience from mature markets such as the United Kingdom to the Chilean context. Through this framework of cooperation, the BGC and aPAL will collaborate on:

• To share evidence and regulatory best practices used in markets where online gambling is formally regulated.
• Strengthen the knowledge base on regulatory models that prioritize consumer protection, responsible gaming, and market integrity.
• Dialogue with legislators and local stakeholders to support the design of a sustainable and effective licensing system.

According to representatives of both organizations, Chile has the opportunity to build a modern regulatory framework that not only protects users, but also combats irregular activity and the "black market" of unsupervised operators.

A step in Chile's legislative progress

This agreement comes in the midst of a legislative process that had already been advanced: the Chilean Senate approved in 2025 a general bill to regulate online betting platforms, in order to create a formal licensing regime, establish compliance measures and protect players, especially minors.

In addition, various legal actions have marked the political and public debate in the country: the Supreme Court of Chile ordered to block the access of unlicensed online operators, indicating that these platforms operate outside the detailed legal framework and underlining the need for clear and specific regulation.

The contribution of the British experience, therefore, would place Chile in a privileged position to consolidate a regulatory scheme based on international evidence and comparative best practices, which could translate into a faster and more solid legislation process before the next Chilean government administration.