A significant investigation in Chile, involving a cross-check of information among public agencies, detailed that hundreds of officials who manage or safeguard public funds potentially violated a rule that prohibits them from gambling in casinos.
The details emerged following a fresh report by the Comptroller General of the Republic (CGR), released in the Twentieth Consolidated Circularised Information Report on March 23, which exposed the situation.
There were said to be records that aligned in which officials were required to post a bond due to their responsibility over state resources, with casino client data provided by the Superintendence of Casinos of Gambling (SCJ), 910 individuals were identified as having placed bets in these venues between January 2024 and June 2025. The total amount wagered exceeds 11.49 billion pesos.
However, Law 19.995 includes Article 10(b), which states that “those who, by virtue of their position, are responsible for the administration or custody of public funds may not, either directly or through a third party, under any circumstances, engage in any form of gambling in casino games.”
The local press stated: “The reason for this prohibition is to safeguard collective resources and prevent those with such responsibilities from being exposed to environments that could compromise their duties.”
In the report, it was detailed that the rule was systematically violated. Of the 910 officials involved, 181 account for 96.8 percent of the total amount wagered—more than 11.118 billion pesos. Among them, 20 individuals account for 5.392 billion pesos, and one member of the Chilean Air Force stands out for having gambled 1.04 billion pesos. In these cases, the amounts do not align with the individuals’ salary levels.
Given these figures, the oversight body warns that this may no longer be merely an administrative issue. “The magnitude of the bets placed by those who account for the highest amounts raises the possibility that crimes may have been committed,” the CGR stated, announcing it will launch an investigation.
“These entities must clarify any doubts regarding the conduct of those under investigation and apply the corresponding sanctions, which may include dismissal,” authorities said.
Additionally, the CGR will send the list of the 910 individuals involved to the SCJ so that it can “exercise its supervisory and sanctioning powers over operators.”
