Chile Orders ISPs to Block 42 Unauthorized Betting Sites – G3 Newswire

Chile orders internet providers to block 42 unauthorized betting sites

Chile’s Undersecretariat of Telecommunications (Subtel) ordered six internet service providers to block 42 online betting and gambling URLs within 48 hours, introducing a court-backed process to further remove unauthorized gambling sites.

On September 1, Subtel said it had notified Entel, Movistar, Claro, GTD, WOM and VTR of 42 URLs that had been reviewed and verified by the Gaming Casino Authority (SCJ). ISPs must implement blocking using the Domain Name System (DNS) and report compliance to the Santiago Court of Appeal.

The lawsuit follows a Supreme Court ruling requiring internet service providers to block unauthorized gambling sites. The case arose from a defense claim filed by Lotería de Concepción against telecommunications companies over access to betting platforms operating without the necessary authorization.

The Santiago Court of Appeal subsequently approved a process to allow the blocking mechanism to be updated as new domains and mirror sites emerge. Under this procedure, gaming domains can be submitted for review, with the VSP determining whether they fall within the scope of the court order before Subtel instructs ISPs to block them.

Subtel said the DNS blocking was chosen following a technical assessment of possible enforcement mechanisms. It argued that targeting individual verified domains is more proportionate than approaches such as deep packet inspection, while reducing risks to privacy, net neutrality and legitimate online services.

The latest order also formalizes the ongoing nature of this process. Subtel said additional domains, subdomains and mirror sites may be added if they are specifically identified and subsequently verified by SCJ. The procedure also allows for errors to be corrected when blocking inadvertently affects a legitimate service.

The initial list includes international and local betting brands, as well as a number of domains specific to Chile.

In August, the Santiago Court of Appeal in Chile approved a DNS-based process for blocking online betting and gambling sites found to be operating without authorization. The court chose DNS blocking based on Subtel’s technical proposal. This approach targets individual verified domains and is considered more proportionate than broader technical measures, which could pose a greater risk of over-blocking legitimate internet content.

The procedure establishes a permanent and renewable enforcement mechanism, allowing new domains and mirror sites to be added without reopening the original litigation. It also includes a verification step to reduce the risk of legitimate online services being mistakenly blocked.