Latin America Gaming Law

Latin America Gaming Law at a Glance

The table below provides a quick-reference summary of the most important facts about Latin America gaming law for practitioners new to the region.

TOPIC	SUMMARY
Market size	Combined LATAM gambling revenue projected above USD 37 billion in 2025; online segment forecast to reach USD 10-12 billion by 2028
Regulatory model	No regional framework; each country – and in Argentina’s case, each province – regulates independently
Most mature online markets	Colombia (regulated since 2016), Brazil (launched January 2025), Peru (launched February 2024)
Key regulators	SPA/Ministry of Finance (Brazil), Coljuegos (Colombia), SEGOB/DGJS (Mexico), LOTBA and provincial authorities (Argentina), MINCETUR (Peru)
Primary driver of reform	Tax revenue capture from large grey and black markets; football betting culture across the region
AML frameworks	Generally aligned with FATF standards; enforcement capacity varies significantly by jurisdiction
Major reform trends	Brazil federal launch (2025), Colombia VAT upheaval (2025-2026), Mexico federal law reform pending, Chile online licensing bill in Senate, Argentina advertising ban proposals

The single most important concept for understanding LATAM online gambling regulation is channelisation – the share of gambling activity that flows through licensed rather than unlicensed operators. Colombia in 2025 provided the starkest recent demonstration of what happens when tax policy undermines that balance: a deposit-based VAT made the licensed market more expensive than offshore alternatives overnight, and GGR in the licensed channel fell by roughly 30% within months. Watching whether each market’s framework is winning or losing the channelisation battle is the best lens through which to read regional regulatory news.

The Regulatory Landscape

Understanding Latin American gaming law requires treating each jurisdiction separately. There is no LATAM-wide licensing body, no common definition of regulated products, and no consistent enforcement standard. What the region does share is a common challenge: large, established grey and black markets that predate formal regulation and against which new licensed frameworks must compete.

How to read the market: three tiers

Tier 1 – Established regulated markets.  These are jurisdictions with operational licensing frameworks, active enforcement, and a track record of licensed operator activity. Colombia has been regulated since 2016; Brazil and Peru joined at the federal level in 2024-2025; and 23 of Argentina’s 24 provinces have provincial licensing in place.

Tier 2 – Partially regulated or transitional markets.  Land-based gambling is well established in these jurisdictions, but online frameworks are either incomplete or under active development. Mexico has federal land-based permits but no standalone online licence. Chile’s online bill is progressing through the Senate. Uruguay and Paraguay are both moving toward formal online frameworks.

Tier 3 – Restricted or minimal framework.  These jurisdictions have no functional licensing process for private gambling operators or have explicit prohibition in place. Bolivia, Guatemala, Venezuela, El Salvador, Honduras, and Nicaragua currently fall into this category.

Regional regulatory status

JURISDICTION	LAND-BASED	ONLINE STATUS	KEY REGULATOR	GGR TAX (ONLINE)
Brazil	Federal licensing (SPA)	Regulated; launched January 2025	SPA / Ministry of Finance	12% GGR
Colombia	Coljuegos-licensed	Regulated since 2016	Coljuegos	~15% concession + 16% consumption tax
Mexico	Federal permits (SEGOB/DGJS)	Permitted via land-based partner; no standalone online licence	SEGOB / DGJS	30% GGR (50% proposed)
Argentina	Province-by-province	Regulated in 23 of 24 provinces	Provincial (LOTBA, IPLyC, etc.)	5% federal + 10-25% provincial GGR
Peru	MINCETUR-licensed	Regulated since February 2024	MINCETUR / DGJCMT	12% GGR + 1% per wager
Chile	Casino regulator (SCJ)	Online bill in Senate; not yet enacted	SCJ (land-based)	20% GGR (proposed)
Uruguay	DINALI / state casinos	Online framework in development	DINALI	N/A
Paraguay	CONAJZAR	Reform underway; no online licensing yet	CONAJZAR	N/A
Dominican Republic	Gaming Commission	Online framework from Resolution 136-2024	Gaming Commission	TBD
Bolivia	Gaming Authority	No functional online licensing	Gaming Authority	N/A
Guatemala	N/A	No framework	N/A	N/A

Key Regulated Markets in Depth

Four markets dominate the Latin American gaming law landscape by scale, regulatory development, and practitioner significance. Each is at a different stage of regulatory maturity and presents a distinct risk and opportunity profile for operators, investors, and their legal advisors.

Brazil

Brazil is the defining story of LATAM gaming law in 2025. Law No. 14,790/2023 and the regulatory ordinances that followed brought approximately 80 years of federal prohibition to an end. The licensed market launched on January 1, 2025, making Brazil one of the world’s largest newly regulated online gambling markets almost overnight – with over 100 million potential players, an estimated BRL 3.1 billion per month in Q1 2025, and 78 licensed operators by August 2025.

The SPA (Secretaria de Premios e Apostas), a department of the Ministry of Finance, is Brazil’s federal gambling regulator. The Ministry of Sport (MESP) co-approves applications for sports betting products. Anatel, the national telecommunications regulator, cooperates with the SPA on blocking unlicensed operators.

Key facts about Brazil’s licensing framework:

• Licence fee: BRL 30 million (approximately USD 6 million) for a five-year licence covering up to three brands; a further BRL 30 million applies for each additional set of three brands
• Local incorporation: operators must establish a Brazilian legal entity; foreign shareholders require a Brazilian representative and at least one shareholder with a 20% local stake
• Financial requirements: minimum reserve of BRL 5 million held in federal securities; minimum paid-in capital of BRL 30 million
• Domain: licensed operators must use a .bet.br domain
• GGR tax: currently 12%; a provisional measure to raise this to 18% was under review as of mid-2026
• Player winnings tax: 15% on prizes exceeding BRL 2,824
• Payments: credit cards and crypto are banned; PIX (Brazil’s instant payment system) is the mandated and dominant payment mechanism, providing regulators with a transparent, trackable transaction trail
• AML: Ordinance No. 1,143/2024 sets out comprehensive AML, KYC, and counter-terrorism financing requirements aligned with COAF (Brazil’s financial intelligence unit) standards; biometric facial registration at account creation is mandatory
• Responsible gambling: Ordinance No. 1,231 requires self-exclusion mechanisms and deposit limits; Brazilian courts have held that excluding a player on diagnosis of a compulsive gambling disorder is a legally enforceable duty of care, not a discretionary feature
• Advertising: strict 18+ targeting rules; no-deposit promotions prohibited; mandatory responsible gambling disclaimers on all marketing materials

Key pending issue.  ADPF No. 1212, a constitutional challenge before the Federal Supreme Court, concerns whether municipalities can issue their own gambling licences. The outcome will define the boundaries of federal authority over the sector and is the most significant case currently under judicial review in Brazilian gaming law.

Colombia

Colombia has been a regulated online gambling market since 2016, making Coljuegos one of the most experienced iGaming regulators in Latin America. The market attracted major international operators and was widely regarded as a regional benchmark for orderly licensing and enforcement – until a sequence of emergency tax measures beginning in February 2025 destabilised it and produced one of modern gaming law’s most instructive case studies.

Coljuegos (Empresa Industrial y Comercial del Estado Administradora del Monopolio Rentistico de los Juegos de Suerte y Azar) is Colombia’s national gambling regulator. It issues concession contracts, maintains ISP blocking powers, and collects the concession taxes that fund Colombia’s public health system – which received COP 990 billion in gambling taxes in 2024.

The Colombian VAT timeline is essential context for any practitioner working in the LATAM market:

• February 2025: 19% VAT on player deposits introduced by presidential decree as an emergency fiscal measure linked to civil unrest in the Catatumbo region
• April 2025: Coljuegos data shows online GGR fell approximately 30% year-on-year as players shifted to unlicensed platforms not subject to the tax; Codere Online announces a halt to all further investment in Colombia
• December 2025: government attempts to make the deposit-based VAT permanent in the 2026 National Budget; legislation rejected by the Senate’s Fourth Committee
• January 2026: emergency decree shifts VAT from player deposits to GGR basis; Colombian Constitutional Court suspends this decree on constitutional grounds
• March 2026: Decree 0240 establishes a 16% national consumption tax on GGR – Colombia’s third gambling tax structure in 13 months

The effective total tax burden on Colombian licensed operators in mid-2026 is approximately 34% of GGR, comprising the 15% concession tax and the 16% consumption tax, before additional domestic levies. Colombia’s gambling trade body Fecoljuegos has described the current position as a starting point, warning that the overall burden still leaves Colombia less competitive than most neighbouring markets for attracting investment.

The channelisation lesson.  Colombia in 2025 demonstrated that taxing player deposits rather than actual revenue – regardless of the rate – can push players to unlicensed platforms that are effectively exempt from the tax. The legal channel loses on price, the government loses tax income, and players lose consumer protections. Whether Decree 0240’s GGR-based model restores channelisation is the most watched story in Colombian gaming law going into 2026.

Mexico

Mexico is Latin America’s second-largest gambling market by revenue but operates under a federal gambling statute from 1947 – the Ley Federal de Juegos y Sorteos – that was designed for a pre-internet world. Online gambling is legal in Mexico, but the framework is structurally ambiguous: there is no standalone online licence. Operators must obtain authorisation via a relationship with a Mexican-incorporated entity that already holds a DGJS land-based permit. Sublicensing agreements, previously common, are no longer permitted under updated regulations, meaning operators must work directly with permit holders.

SEGOB (Secretaria de Gobernacion), through its DGJS (Direccion General de Juegos y Sorteos), is Mexico’s federal gambling regulator. The UIF (Unidad de Inteligencia Financiera), under the Ministry of Finance, handles AML oversight in coordination with DGJS. As of Q3 2025, Mexico had over 350 licensed land-based casinos and more than 30 digital operators authorised under SEGOB-issued .mx domain permissions.

Key considerations for the Mexican market:

• No standalone online licence exists. Operators must partner with or operate through a Mexican entity holding a valid DGJS land-based permit. This creates a structural dependency that new entrants need to account for from the outset.
• Market size: online GGR projected at USD 3.2 billion in 2025, with 10-12 million active players; mobile-dominant, with a median user age under 35. Approximately 60% of bookmakers were estimated to be operating without a valid licence as of 2024.
• Tax: current GGR tax is 30% IEPS; a proposed budget measure would raise this to 50%, which remains actively contested by the industry
• Enforcement volatility: in November 2025, authorities blocked 13 online casino platforms – including internationally recognised brands – over suspected money laundering. This illustrates a defining characteristic of the Mexican market: enforcement operates at the intersection of gambling regulation and financial crime law, and can affect licensed operators as well as unlicensed ones.
• Reform pending: SEGOB working groups have been developing a new Federal Law on Games and Lotteries since early 2025. Proposals include creating a National Institute of Games and Lotteries as a dedicated regulatory authority. A bill is expected to reach Congress in 2026, with a committee review deadline of August 2027.
• 2026 FIFA World Cup: Mexico is co-hosting the tournament with the USA and Canada, with matches in Mexico City, Guadalajara, and Monterrey. The event is creating real political pressure for regulatory modernisation before and during the tournament window.

Argentina

Argentina’s gambling framework is constitutionally unlike any other in Latin America. Under Argentina’s constitution, gambling is a non-delegated competency – meaning the federal government cannot create a national gambling law without a constitutional amendment. Each of the 23 provinces and the Autonomous City of Buenos Aires legislates and licenses gambling independently. As of 2026, 23 of 24 jurisdictions have regulated online gambling; Santiago del Estero remains the sole exception. The result is one of the region’s most advanced markets in aggregate, and one of its most operationally demanding to enter.

There is no federal gambling regulator. The only federal instrument is Section 301 bis of the National Criminal Code, which criminalises unauthorised gambling and has been applied to prosecute influencers and public figures who promote illegal gambling sites. The two most commercially significant regulators are LOTBA (Loteria de la Ciudad de Buenos Aires) for the capital city and IPLyC for Buenos Aires Province.

What practitioners need to know about entering Argentina:

• Buenos Aires City: regulated by LOTBA since December 2021; seven licences issued, all currently active; new operator tender closed June 2024, meaning entry now requires acquiring an ownership position or forming a partnership with an existing permit holder; .bet.ar domain required; 25% GGR tax
• Buenos Aires Province: regulated by IPLyC since 2021; seven licences; operators must incorporate locally and secure an Argentine partner; 25% provincial GGR tax; 15-year licence terms
• Federal overlay: a 5% federal tax on online GGR applies across all provinces, in addition to provincial rates
• Identity verification: biometric RENAPER verification (Argentina’s national ID system) is mandatory across all regulated platforms
• Currency: key capital controls were repealed in April 2025 under Decree 269/2025, significantly simplifying cross-border financial operations and profit repatriation for licensed operators
• Multi-province complexity: operators targeting more than one province require separate licences, certifications, local partners, and compliance programmes for each. Most international operators begin with Buenos Aires City and Province before considering expansion.
• Enforcement trend 2025: criminal complaints under Section 301 bis against influencers advertising illegal platforms proved highly effective in Buenos Aires City, significantly reducing illegal gambling advertising and sharpening public awareness of the .bet.ar distinction between legal and illegal sites

Online Gambling Regulation Across Latin America

Online gambling is the fastest-growing and most legally active segment of Latin American gaming law. Almost every major jurisdiction has either recently regulated, is actively legislating, or is working through the consequences of a grey market that predates formal licensing frameworks.

Understanding channelisation

Channelisation – the share of gambling activity that flows through licensed rather than unlicensed operators – is the central metric for evaluating whether a licensing framework is working in practice. Most LATAM markets are still working to make the licensed channel attractive enough to draw players away from offshore alternatives that have operated freely for years and carry no compliance costs.

The conditions for successful channelisation are well understood by regulators and practitioners. Tax rates must allow licensed operators to offer competitive products. The licensing process must not be so costly or slow that grey-market operators can continue operating without meaningful consequence. Payment blocking and ISP blocking of unlicensed platforms need to be actively enforced. And players need a genuine reason to prefer the licensed channel – whether through trust, product quality, or consumer protection. When any of these conditions breaks down, players migrate to unlicensed alternatives. Colombia in 2025 showed how quickly and how completely that migration can happen.

Online licensing status by market

Fully operational:  Brazil (January 2025), Colombia (since 2016), Peru (February 2024), Buenos Aires City and 22 of 24 Argentine provinces, Dominican Republic (Resolution 136-2024).

Framework developing or incomplete:  Mexico (no standalone online licence; reform pending), Chile (Senate bill progressing; not yet enacted), Uruguay (framework in development), Paraguay (transitioning from state monopoly; no online licensing yet operational).

No operational framework:  Bolivia, Guatemala, Venezuela, El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua.

Payment regulation

Payment regulation has become one of the primary tools for protecting the licensed channel across the region. Brazil banned credit cards and crypto for gambling deposits and mandated PIX as the dominant payment mechanism, giving regulators a transparent and auditable transaction record. Ordinance SPA/MF No. 566/2025 prohibits payment institutions from processing transactions with unlicensed operators, making the payment channel a direct enforcement instrument.

Colombia’s 2025 experience showed the reverse effect: a deposit-based VAT that treated every player deposit as a taxable event made licensed platforms materially more expensive than unlicensed ones, and payment flows followed price. Argentina removed major currency controls in April 2025, substantially simplifying cross-border financial operations. Peru proactively blocks payment services linked to black-market operators. Mexico’s November 2025 enforcement action against 13 platforms illustrated that payment-channel concerns can trigger regulatory action even against licensed brands.

Sports betting and football

Football is the structural driver of sports betting demand across the entire region. Brazil, Argentina, Colombia, Mexico, and Peru all rank among the world’s highest-engagement football markets. Every major regulated jurisdiction covers football betting as a core licensed product, and the sport’s calendar – particularly Copa Libertadores, Copa America, and FIFA World Cup cycles – produces predictable spikes in both legal and illegal betting activity.

The 2026 FIFA World Cup, co-hosted by the United States, Mexico, and Canada, with matches in Mexico City, Guadalajara, and Monterrey, is a significant commercial and regulatory moment for the Mexican market. Esports betting is the fastest-growing adjacent product, with regional revenues projected above USD 200 million in 2025.

Licensing and Market Entry Considerations

Latin America presents a wide spectrum of licensing environments, from Brazil’s high-cost federal model to Argentina’s province-by-province structure. The risk profiles are materially different, and market entry strategy needs to reflect which specific markets an operator is genuinely targeting – not Latin America as an undifferentiated whole.

Licensing requirements: key markets compared

MARKET	LICENCE COST	LOCAL ENTITY REQUIRED?	KEY STRUCTURAL POINT	LICENCE TERM
Brazil	BRL 30m (~USD 6m) per set of 3 brands	Yes (Ltda. or similar)	.bet.br domain; 20% local shareholder; resident compliance officer	5 years
Colombia	Concession fee (variable)	Yes	Valid Coljuegos concession contract; system recertification needed for changes	Variable
Mexico	No defined online fee	Yes – via land-based permit holder partner	No standalone online licence; DGJS authorisation through land-based entity only	Up to 25 years (land-based base)
Argentina (Buenos Aires City)	USD 30,000 + USD 25m net asset minimum	Yes	LOTBA licence; .bet.ar domain; tender closed June 2024 – acquisition or partnership only	5 years + 5-year extension
Peru	3% of net annual income or PEN 3.09m, whichever is greater	Yes (local legal representative)	Technical certification; financial guarantee; AML compliance; SUNAT registration	Ongoing (renewable)

Risks operators and investors need to model

Regulatory continuity is the defining risk across the region. The Colombian VAT sequence illustrates an exposure that applies to all LATAM markets to varying degrees: governments willing to alter fundamental market conditions by executive decree under emergency powers, with no transition period and no industry consultation. Brazil’s federal framework is more stable through its legislative basis, but is less than two years old and has pending ordinances still being finalised.

Fragmentation in Argentina is a risk category of its own. A national operation requires separate licences, certifications, local partners, and compliance programmes in up to 23 jurisdictions. The operational cost is significant; most international operators target Buenos Aires City and Province first and treat any further expansion as a separate project.

Enforcement asymmetry affects nearly every market. Licensed operators carry full compliance costs while unlicensed alternatives continue to operate, pay no tax, and offer better-value products to players. This is not just a policy problem – it is a practical test of whether entry economics are viable before enforcement matures enough to create a genuinely level playing field.

Tax trajectory deserves serious modelling. Mexico is actively considering raising its effective GGR tax to 50%; Colombia has restructured its gambling tax three times in 13 months; Brazil has a provisional measure proposing to raise GGR tax from 12% to 18%. Operators should stress-test entry economics across multiple tax scenarios rather than relying on current rates.

M&A due diligence in LATAM gambling requires close attention to AML enforcement history, compliance programme maturity, and the status of any pending regulatory examinations. Brazil is currently the most active deal market given its size and the number of early-stage licensees, but SPA oversight is still maturing and regulatory expectations will increase over the first licence cycle.

AML, Responsible Gambling, and Player Protection

AML compliance and responsible gambling obligations have been built into the new generation of LATAM licensing frameworks from the outset, reflecting lessons from more mature markets and FATF pressure on regional governments to formalise their gambling sectors. The depth and enforceability of those obligations varies significantly across jurisdictions.

AML compliance across the region

Brazil has the most developed AML framework in Latin America. Ordinance No. 1,143/2024 establishes comprehensive procedures aligned with COAF (Brazil’s financial intelligence unit) standards, covering KYC at registration, ongoing transaction monitoring, betting pattern analysis, and governance requirements for service providers. Biometric registration at onboarding is mandatory. Operators must also ensure that their service providers maintain appropriate ESG and governance standards.

Colombia has over nine years of live AML enforcement through Coljuegos. The shift from cash-equivalent grey-market deposits to regulated payment processing has materially improved transaction traceability. Standard CDD and EDD obligations apply to all licensed operators, and Coljuegos has direct blocking powers to remove unlicensed platforms from the payment ecosystem.

Mexico presents the region’s most significant AML risk, given the scale of the unlicensed market and the documented use of illegal gambling operations for money laundering. The UIF coordinates AML enforcement with DGJS. The November 2025 enforcement action blocking 13 platforms on money laundering grounds reflects a more assertive approach than Mexico’s gambling sector has historically seen – and a signal that AML risk is increasingly treated as a financial crime matter rather than a purely regulatory one.

Argentina requires AML and CFT procedures, compliance officer appointment, and KYC policies at the provincial level. The threshold for enhanced due diligence currently stands at approximately USD 3,320 (the equivalent of 15 monthly minimum wages as at September 2025). Peru requires licensed operators to register with SUNAT (the national tax authority) and maintain a direct regulatory relationship with UIF-Peru, the financial intelligence unit operating under the SBS.

Responsible gambling frameworks

Across regulated Latin American markets, responsible gambling obligations now routinely include self-exclusion registers, deposit limits, minor access controls, and advertising restrictions. Several jurisdictions have gone further than the regional baseline:

• Brazil mandated facial biometric registration at account creation under Ordinance No. 1,231 and introduced limits on the use of government-issued welfare funds for gambling apps. Courts have held that self-exclusion on diagnosis of a compulsive gambling disorder is a legally enforceable duty of care – a significant judicial development that operators should treat as a compliance baseline, not a grace note.
• Argentina requires biometric RENAPER identity verification across all regulated platforms. A proposed federal bill would ban gambling advertising, sponsorships, and celebrity endorsements nationally – a significant potential shift given the current prominence of gambling marketing in Argentine media and sport.
• Peru allocates 20% of gambling tax revenue to mental health programmes, building a direct structural link between operator tax contributions and problem gambling treatment. This makes Peru’s responsible gambling framework more financially integrated than most others in the region.
• Colombia in 2025 illustrated an indirect but important responsible gambling point: when channelisation breaks down and players move to unlicensed platforms, they lose access to every consumer protection tool – self-exclusion, deposit limits, dispute resolution – that exists in the licensed market. Channelisation failure and responsible gambling failure are the same thing.

The Reform Wave: Key Developments by Market

Latin America is in the most active period of gaming law reform since the region’s first modern licensing frameworks were established in the 2010s. The tracker below covers the most significant current and recent developments for practitioners to monitor.

MARKET	DEVELOPMENT	DIRECTION	STATUS (MID-2026)
Brazil	Law No. 14,790/2023; federal market launch	Liberalisation	Live from January 1, 2025; 78+ licensed operators; ongoing SPA ordinances filling out the framework
Brazil	ADPF No. 1212 – constitutional challenge on municipal licensing	Legal uncertainty	Pending before the Federal Supreme Court; outcome will define federal authority boundaries
Colombia	Deposit-based 19% VAT introduced by emergency decree	Unintended restriction	Introduced February 2025; caused approx. 30% drop in licensed market GGR
Colombia	Decree 0240 – 16% national consumption tax on GGR	Tax restructuring	Effective March 12, 2026; Colombia’s third gambling tax model in 13 months
Mexico	SEGOB working groups on new Federal Law on Games and Lotteries	Modernisation	Bill expected before Congress in 2026; committee review deadline extended to August 2027
Mexico	Proposed IEPS increase from 30% to 50% GGR tax	Tax increase risk	Budget proposal; contested by industry; unresolved as of mid-2026
Argentina	Federal advertising ban bill (proposed)	Restriction	Proposed; not enacted; would cover sponsorships and celebrity endorsements nationally
Argentina	Currency controls repealed (Decree 269/2025)	Liberalisation	Effective April 2025; simplified cross-border financial operations for operators
Argentina	Section 301 bis enforcement against influencers	Enforcement	Active prosecution track; significant deterrent effect on illegal gambling advertising
Chile	Online gambling bill (Bill No. 035/2022)	Liberalisation	Senate review ongoing; proposed 20% GGR tax; not yet enacted
Peru	Licensing framework fully operational	Stabilisation	60 platforms and 280 providers approved since February 2024; framework maturing
Paraguay	CONAJZAR state monopoly reform	Liberalisation	In transition; no operational online licensing yet in place
Dominican Republic	Resolution 136-2024 established online framework	Liberalisation	Operational from 2024; first new national online framework in the region since Peru’s

Frequently Asked Questions

Is online gambling legal in Latin America?

Online gambling is legal in a growing number of Latin American countries, but the legal position varies significantly by jurisdiction. Brazil, Colombia, and Peru all operate functional national licensing frameworks. In Argentina, online gambling is regulated independently by individual provinces. Mexico permits online gambling via federal arrangements but lacks a standalone online licence. Chile, Uruguay, and Paraguay are still developing their frameworks.

When did Brazil legalise online gambling?

Brazil’s regulated online gambling market officially launched on January 1, 2025, under Law No. 14,790/2023. The Secretariat of Prizes and Bets (SPA), within the Ministry of Finance, is the federal regulator. The launch ended approximately 80 years of federal prohibition on commercial gambling in Brazil and opened one of the world’s largest potential player markets to licensed operators.

Who regulates gambling in Brazil?

The Secretariat of Prizes and Bets (SPA), within the Brazilian Ministry of Finance, regulates fixed-odds sports betting and online casino games at the federal level. The Ministry of Sport (MESP) co-approves sports betting licence applications. Anatel, the national telecommunications regulator, cooperates with the SPA on blocking unlicensed operators and enforcing the mandatory .bet.br domain requirement for licensed platforms.

How much does a Brazil gambling licence cost?

A Brazil gambling licence costs BRL 30 million (approximately USD 6 million) for a five-year operating period covering up to three brands. Operators must also maintain a minimum financial reserve of BRL 5 million in federal securities and a minimum paid-in capital of BRL 30 million. A further BRL 30 million licence fee applies for each additional set of three brands.

Who regulates gambling in Colombia?

Coljuegos is Colombia’s national gambling regulator and has been overseeing the licensed online market since 2016. It issues concession contracts, collects the concession taxes that fund Colombia’s public health system, and has direct authority to require ISPs to block unauthorised gambling sites. In mid-2026, Colombia’s effective gambling tax burden for licensed operators stands at approximately 34% of GGR, comprising the 15% concession tax and the 16% consumption tax established by Decree 0240.

What happened to Colombia’s gambling tax in 2025?

In February 2025, Colombia introduced a 19% VAT on player deposits as an emergency fiscal measure tied to civil unrest. Licensed market GGR fell approximately 30% as players shifted to unlicensed platforms that did not charge the tax. Colombia restructured the tax three times in 13 months: a GGR-based VAT from January 2026 (subsequently suspended by the Constitutional Court), and then Decree 0240 in March 2026, establishing a 16% national consumption tax on GGR. This sequence is widely cited as a case study in how poorly designed tax policy can rapidly undermine a functioning licensed gambling market.

Is gambling legal in Mexico?

Yes. Land-based and online gambling are legal in Mexico under federal authorisation from SEGOB through its DGJS. The core statute is the Federal Law on Gambling and Lotteries of 1947. There is no standalone online-only licence; online operators must partner with a Mexican entity holding a valid DGJS land-based permit. The framework is being updated: SEGOB is developing a new federal gambling law expected to reach Congress in 2026.

How is gambling regulated in Argentina?

Argentina’s constitution designates gambling regulation as a non-delegated provincial competency, meaning the federal government cannot create a national gambling law. Each of the 23 provinces and the Autonomous City of Buenos Aires regulates gambling independently. As of 2026, 23 of 24 jurisdictions have regulated online gambling. The only federal legal instrument is Section 301 bis of the National Criminal Code, which criminalises unauthorised gambling and has been used to prosecute influencers who promote illegal gambling platforms.

Is online gambling legal in Peru?

Yes. Peru’s online gambling framework launched on February 9, 2024, under Law No. 31557. MINCETUR (the Ministry of Foreign Trade and Tourism) licenses both online sports betting and casino gaming. As of mid-2025, 60 platforms and 280 providers had been approved. Licensed operators pay a 12% GGR tax and a 1% levy per wager, with 40% of tax revenues allocated to the public treasury, 40% to tourism development, and 20% to mental health programmes.

Is online gambling legal in Chile?

Online gambling is not yet fully legalised in Chile as of mid-2026. Bill No. 035/2022, progressing through the Senate, would establish licensing for online sportsbooks and casinos with a proposed 20% GGR tax. Land-based casinos are regulated under an established framework overseen by the Superintendencia de Casinos de Juego (SCJ). Until the bill is enacted, there is no operational online gambling licensing system.

What is channelisation and why does it matter in Latin America?

Channelisation is the share of gambling activity that flows through licensed rather than unlicensed operators. In most LATAM markets, a significant proportion of player activity still flows through illegal offshore platforms. When tax rates or compliance costs make licensed operators uncompetitive on price – as in Colombia in 2025 – players shift to unlicensed alternatives. This reduces government tax revenue, eliminates player access to consumer protections such as self-exclusion and deposit limits, and undermines the commercial case for compliance. Channelisation is the best single metric for evaluating whether a gaming law framework is working in practice.

About IMGL

The International Masters of Gaming Law (IMGL) is a global, non-profit association of the world’s leading gaming lawyers, regulators, and industry experts. For specialist advice on any of the jurisdictions covered in this guide, use the IMGL Member Directory to find a qualified gaming lawyer in your region.

For broader context on how the Latin American regulatory landscape fits into global gaming law practice, explore IMGL’s hubs on International Gaming Law.