Dreams Challenges Chile Regulator Over Coyhaique Casino Bid

Latin American casino operator Dreams has filed a legal challenge against Chile’s gambling regulator, claiming it was wrongly excluded from the tender process for the casino licence in Coyhaique, a city in the Aysén Region.

The company submitted a claim of illegality to the Court of Appeals of Santiago on March 4. In its filing, Dreams argues that the Superintendence of Casinos of Gaming (SCJ) acted unlawfully, arbitrarily and disproportionately by removing the operator from the licensing tender.

The legal action was brought by Casino de Juegos Coyhaique S.A., a subsidiary of Dreams. Through the complaint, the company is seeking the annulment of Exempt Resolution No. 220/2026 issued by the SCJ, which rejected an earlier challenge made during the process to renew the region’s casino operating licence.

Tender Cancelled by the Regulator

In January, the SCJ declared the Coyhaique casino licence tender void. According to the regulator, participating companies failed to fully meet the legal and regulatory conditions established in the technical guidelines governing the bidding process.

The decision effectively stopped the licensing procedure for the casino project in the Aysén Region, leaving uncertainty over the future of casino operations in Coyhaique.

Dispute Over Required Documentation

In its complaint, Dreams claims the regulator required extensive tax-related documentation from several of the company’s shareholders and directors.

The requested documents included tax compliance certificates from Chile’s Internal Revenue Service (SII), tax declaration records and certificates confirming the absence of financial debts for certain shareholders, including Claudio Fischer and Sebastián Fischer.

The operator stated it had already requested the required tax certificate from the SII but was unable to obtain it within the deadline due to delays from the public authority.

According to Dreams, the process to receive such documentation can take at least six months, making it impossible to submit the certificate within the timeframe set in the public tender.

The company argues it should not be penalised for delays caused by another government institution and says it has submitted evidence demonstrating that the documents were requested in advance.

Ownership Interpretation Also Challenged

Dreams is also contesting how the regulator interpreted the concept of “consolidated ownership” in the bidding process.

The operator maintains that the term is not clearly defined in Chilean legislation or within the technical rules governing the tender. As a result, the company argues the regulator imposed documentation requirements that went beyond what should reasonably apply to the applicant.

In its court filing, Dreams stated that the interpretation led to demands for personal background information that was not directly connected to the company’s corporate structure.

The case will now be reviewed by the Court of Appeals of Santiago. Dreams is asking the court to annul the regulator’s resolution and allow the tender process for the Coyhaique casino licence to be reopened.