TITLE: Chile's Financial Analysis Unit and Casino Gambling Superintendency Issue Updated Anti-Money Laundering Circular
BODY:
On July 29, 2026, Chile's Financial Analysis Unit (UAF) and the Superintendency of Casino Gambling (SCJ) jointly issued Circular No. 63 (UAF) and Circular No. 150 (SCJ), updating the regulatory framework for anti-money laundering and counter-terrorism financing (AML/CTF) compliance in the casino gaming sector.
The circular incorporates a risk-based approach aligned with recent amendments to Law No. 19,913, reflecting Chile's commitment to the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) 40 Recommendations. The update follows Chile's 2021 mutual evaluation by the Latin American Financial Action Task Force (Gafilat), which identified compliance gaps requiring intensified monitoring. The circular consolidates and clarifies obligations for casino operators and municipal concessionaires across ten key areas: registration requirements, compliance officer designation, suspicious operation reporting, cash transaction reporting, record maintenance, customer due diligence (CDD), politically exposed persons (PEPs) identification, prevention committee establishment, prevention manual requirements, and personnel training.
Key modifications include extending the registration update deadline from five to ten business days, establishing structured analysis procedures for suspicious transactions with mandatory documentation, introducing a new suspicious operations register, and expanding the PEP definition to include municipal councillors, first-instance judges, armed forces senior command, deputy prosecutors, and the national economic prosecutor. The circular also recognises information held by player loyalty clubs and clarifies that gaming card transactions require registration of recipient identity. CDD measures now incorporate a risk-based framework allowing simplified measures for low-risk clients and enhanced measures for high-risk clients and gaming categories.
The circular enters into force on October 1, 2026. Casino operators and municipal concessionaires must notify all board members within twenty business days of the effective date. The UAF and SCJ will jointly conduct ongoing compliance monitoring and coordination to prevent duplicate enforcement actions.