Bolivia considers regulating sports betting as FBF chief points to new club revenue

Fernando Costa, president of the Bolivian Football Federation (FBF), has raised the possibility of regulating sports betting in Bolivia, arguing that it could become an additional revenue stream for clubs if there is a proper legal framework. For PSPs and operators, the practical point is simple: Bolivia currently has no authorized online sports betting sites, so any market entry still depends on the regulator and the law catching up.

1. In July 2025, Bolivia’s Autoridad de Fiscalización del Juego (AJ) said there were no authorized online sports betting sites in the country. The same regulator also launched administrative action and a criminal complaint against a person operating an illegal platform through a website and WhatsApp groups.
2. Costa said he had discussed possible changes with representatives of the current government, who allegedly raised the idea of amending Law 060 of Lottery and Games of Chance. According to him, a reform could add new gaming formats and create a specific framework for sports betting.
3. The AJ currently maintains a specific rule set for obtaining online gaming licenses, and its existing regulation includes Regulatory Resolution No. 01-00001-21 on licenses for online games of chance and raffles. That matters because, on paper, a licensing path exists for online gaming, but not yet for authorized sports betting operators.
4. Costa pointed to Brazil as a regional reference, where fixed-odds betting was regulated under Law 14.790 of 2023. In the debate around Bolivia, Brazil is being used as the example of a market brought under state supervision rather than left to drift outside the line.
5. For the Bolivian football industry, the unresolved questions are the ones that matter to payment and risk teams: licenses, supervision mechanisms, user protection, responsible gaming, and the conditions under which clubs could participate. Until those pieces exist, the AJ says users who play on illegal platforms face exposure to scams.

The thing is, Bolivia’s market is not open yet, but the policy direction is now in public view. For acquirers and PSPs that work with sports betting, that means the real work would start with licensing language, enforcement standards, and whether the country decides to build a controlled market or keep treating online betting as unauthorized activity.