Chile reopens criminal investigation against online betting platforms

[The Buzz]

The Chilean Judiciary has reopened a criminal investigation into online betting platforms, summoning former soccer players, sports club directors, journalists, and businessman Fernando Felicevich to testify.

This decision comes after the Public Prosecutor's Office initially dismissed complaints filed by land-based casinos and the state-owned gambling operator against the platforms in October 2023.

The request to order the reopening of the case was based mainly on the fact that—in the plaintiffs' opinion— the betting houses have "committed acts that constitute the crime of illegal exploitation of lotteries and games of chance. And since it was the Supreme Court itself that declared the operation of the industry in Chile illegal."

From BBCL:

In addition to ordering the reopening of the case, a series of procedures requested by Marina del Sol, Polla Chilena and San Francisco Investment (Monticello) must now be carried out, within the 180 days that were granted as an extended period.

Among them, stands out the summons to testify of the most important player representative of Creole soccer, Fernando Felicevich , as a defendant, as explained by sources consulted by BBCL Investiga, "due to the relationship with sports betting houses . "

As witnesses, ESPN sports journalists Francisco Sagredo, Grace Lazcano, Cristian Caamaño, Cristian Sánchez, Jorge Gómez, Gustavo Huerta, Sebastián Esnaola, Andrea Hernández and panelist Juli Zeitune will be summoned to testify .

In addition, former soccer players Mauricio Pinilla, Jean Beausejour, Jorge Valdivia, Nicolás Peric, Patricio Yáñez, Rafael Olarra, Dante Poli and Diego Rivarola , who work as communicators for the aforementioned sports channel, will be asked to testify .

Read more here: https://www.biobiochile.cl/especial/...eportivo.shtml