A trial has begun in Chile over the alleged operation of an illegal casino in downtown Punta Arenas.
Prosecutors accuse the defendant of running an unlicensed gambling venue from a commercial property without the licenses required under Chilean law.
The Public Prosecutor's Office told the court the venue functioned without the legal authorizations required for gambling operations and outside the regulatory and tax framework that governs licensed casinos in Chile.
The case originated from an investigation opened in May 2022 following complaints filed by Chile's Superintendency of Gambling Casinos and by Casino Dreams Punta Arenas, a licensed operator in the city.
Inspections carried out as part of that investigation led authorities to shut down the property on three separate occasions for operating outside current regulations.
Representatives for Casino Dreams Punta Arenas also addressed the court, outlining what they described as the economic and social harm caused by unregulated gambling operations and emphasizing the importance of enforcing existing regulatory requirements.
Court proceedings had earlier stalled after the defendant failed to appear for a formalization hearing, leading to the issuance of a detention order. He later appeared before the court voluntarily, accompanied by legal counsel, allowing the case to proceed.
With closing arguments and evidence now presented, the Oral Criminal Court must review the case file before issuing a verdict and, if applicable, a sentence.
Dreams is also facing a separate regulatory process in Chile, with an environmental challenge against its Talca casino project still pending as the company continues construction ahead of its planned November 2026 opening.
The defendant was formally charged in February 2024 after voluntarily appearing before the court days after failing to attend an earlier hearing
