From Law to Market: What Latin America Can Learn from Peru’s iGaming Regulatory Implementation
Regulation Is Not Just About Passing a Law
Latin America is going through a particularly interesting and sometimes contradictory period for the iGaming industry.
Some countries are opening their markets, others are still discussing how to regulate them, and some are introducing new restrictions or reconsidering decisions made only a few years ago.
Experience advising operators and technology providers across different Latin American jurisdictions highlights an important point: passing a gaming law is only the beginning. The real challenge comes afterwards, when governments must turn legislation into a functioning market.
Peru offers an interesting case study. Not because everything has been perfect, but because the country has moved beyond regulatory discussions and into actual implementation.
Today, as other jurisdictions face uncertainty, Peru's experience provides practical lessons about licensing, supervision, enforcement and, increasingly, responsible gaming.
A Region Moving in Different Directions
Brazil is perhaps the most striking recent example.
After introducing its regulated betting framework and launching its licensed market in January 2025, the country experienced a dramatic change. On 25 September 2026, President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva issued Provisional Measure No. 1,394, prohibiting fixed-odds betting, including sports betting and online games.
The measure requires operators to cease providing access to their platforms within a short transition period and provides for the termination of existing authorisations.
The government's position has centred on concerns about gambling-related harm, household finances and consumer protection. Meanwhile, industry representatives have raised concerns about existing investments, employment, sponsorship agreements and the potential movement of players towards illegal platforms.
Whatever the longer-term legal outcome, Brazil illustrates how quickly the operating environment can change, even after a formal licensing system has been established.
Chile presents a different situation.
While its online betting legislation remains under discussion, operators have faced significant developments on two fronts: taxation and website blocking.
In June 2026, the Chilean Internal Revenue Service introduced a registration mechanism requiring foreign online betting platforms to comply with digital VAT obligations. This included the regularisation of outstanding liabilities covering up to 36 previous tax periods.
Separately, in September, the telecommunications authority instructed internet providers to block an initial 42 betting URLs, followed by 37 additional domains, implementing judicial decisions concerning unauthorised gambling.
This has created an unusual environment in which taxation, enforcement and the development of a future licensing framework are progressing through different institutional channels.
Colombia also deserves attention.
Under the Petro administration, online gambling faced successive extraordinary tax measures, including a temporary 19% VAT linked to player deposits in 2025 and a further 16% consumption tax framework under Decree 240 of 2026, calculated on gross gaming revenue.
These developments have generated important discussions about the relationship between fiscal policy, operators' business models and the sustainability of regulated activity.
Elsewhere, Argentina continues to operate through fragmented provincial frameworks, requiring companies to navigate different licensing and compliance requirements. Uruguay maintains a restricted model, with Supermatch as its sole authorised online betting platform, although discussions about broader online gaming regulation continue.
Different markets, different approaches, but a common question remains: how can regulation translate into effective oversight, consumer protection and a workable operating environment?
Peru: Moving from Legislation to Implementation
Peru's journey started with Law No. 31557, subsequently amended by Law No. 31806, establishing a regulatory framework for remote gaming and sports betting.
With its implementation in February 2024, the country moved towards a structured authorisation system supervised by the Ministry of Foreign Trade and Tourism (MINCETUR).
What makes this experience particularly relevant is that regulation did not stop at licensing operators.
The framework also addresses technological platforms, related service providers, technical certification, taxation, anti-money laundering obligations and responsible gaming requirements.
For international operators and technology suppliers, this has created identifiable administrative procedures and a clearer route into the Peruvian market.
Naturally, implementation has required adjustments. Technical requirements, regulatory interpretations, taxation and compliance obligations continue to generate discussions between authorities and industry participants.
However, the system is operational.
Enforcement is also becoming increasingly visible. On 2 October 2026, MINCETUR reported the blocking of 50 additional unauthorised platforms, bringing the accumulated number to 86 during the year.
This distinction is relevant: enforcement can be directed at operators outside an established licensing framework while authorised companies remain subject to ongoing regulatory supervision.
Peru's experience demonstrates what happens when legislation is followed by administrative processes, institutional responsibilities and practical enforcement mechanisms.
Responsible Gaming: The Next Conversation
Nevertheless, having a regulated market does not mean that the industry's work is finished.
Recent events in Brazil have brought responsible gaming, mental health and gambling-related harm back into the regional conversation.
These are legitimate concerns that require attention from governments, operators and society.
As Executive President of AIGER (Association of Regulated iGaming and Responsible Entertainment), Sergio Poves Vidal advocates for active industry participation in prevention and public awareness, beyond merely meeting minimum legal obligations.
Responsible gaming cannot remain a paragraph in a compliance manual or a warning at the bottom of an operator's website.
It requires education, early identification of risky behaviour, effective technological tools and communication that reaches people before gambling becomes a problem.
This is precisely the conversation AIGER is promoting in Peru.
On 9 October, AIGER will host the webinar Responsible Gaming Ecosystem: Regulation, Prevention and Technology, bringing together representatives from MINCETUR, Pausa Responsable and BetShield.
The initiative connects different perspectives: public regulation, mental health and technology-based prevention.
The initiative aims to encourage meaningful participation from operators, suppliers, specialists and other stakeholders who form part of this ecosystem.
It also reflects an important opportunity for the private sector: contributing practical knowledge and resources to responsible gaming initiatives through constructive engagement with public authorities and specialised organisations.
What Can Latin America Take from This Experience?
Drawing on regulatory experience across the region, Peru's implementation offers several points worth examining.
First, regulatory clarity matters beyond the publication of a law. Operators and suppliers need to understand how authorisations, certifications, reporting and supervision work in practice.
Second, market implementation requires coordination. Gaming regulators, tax authorities, financial institutions and technology providers all interact with the same ecosystem, even when their responsibilities are different.
Third, enforcement and consumer protection are closely connected. Identifying unauthorised platforms is one part of supervision; ensuring that players understand the difference between authorised and unauthorised services is another.
Finally, responsible gaming deserves an ongoing conversation involving more than legal and compliance departments.
This does not mean Peru has solved every regulatory challenge, nor that its framework can simply be copied into another jurisdiction. Every country has its own political, economic and institutional circumstances.
However, the Peruvian experience provides a practical example of how regulatory implementation can be observed, evaluated and progressively improved.
The Future Is Also About Trust
Latin America's iGaming industry is entering a period in which regulatory developments are increasingly connected to wider public concerns.
Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Argentina and Uruguay illustrate just how different those developments can be.
Peru adds another perspective to that regional discussion: the experience of implementing a licensing framework while continuing to address illegal gambling, compliance and responsible gaming.
The next stage of this conversation should also involve those who understand the industry from different angles: regulators, operators, technology companies, legal professionals and responsible gaming specialists.
That purpose guides AIGER's work and its efforts to bring stakeholders together through initiatives such as the 9 October webinar.
Ultimately, successful implementation is not measured only by the number of licences issued or taxes collected. It also involves understanding how the market operates, how players are protected and how institutions respond to emerging risks.
A gaming law may establish the rules, but what happens after its publication is what ultimately defines the market.
Author Bio:
Sergio Poves Vidal is a Peruvian lawyer and Latin American gaming, regulatory affairs and compliance advisor, currently serving as Partner and Director of Legal & Compliance at Nexlaw Legaltech & Compliance. With more than ten years of experience, he has held senior legal and compliance roles within the gaming industry, advised international operators and suppliers, and played a key role in the implementation of Peru’s regulated online gaming and sports betting market. He holds a Master’s degree in Government and Public Management, with postgraduate studies at IE Law School in Madrid and the University of Pennsylvania.
Explore these and other topics at Eventus International’s upcoming events: https://www.eventus-international.com/
