Bolivia Football Federation President Backs Dedicated Framework to Regulate Online Sports Betting
FBF president Fernando Costa has endorsed a dedicated online betting regulatory framework, citing its role as primary funding for global football. Bolivia has zero licensed digital operators under the 2010 Ley 060, with all activity offshore. A 2026 government reform package is under discussion but carries no confirmed timeline.
SCCG Take — The football federation’s direct engagement offers a stakeholder-led route to reform that could create a licensed market, yet the persistent gap with regulated neighbours risks further offshore leakage until clear rules emerge.
Fernando Costa, president of the Federación Boliviana de Fútbol, has publicly endorsed the creation of a specific regulatory framework to legalise and oversee online sports betting in Bolivia. Costa argued that sports betting has become the primary funding source for football worldwide, in some countries outpacing broadcast rights revenue entirely. The intervention highlights how central betting revenue has grown to sports organisations’ financial sustainability globally.
This development, as reported by G3 Newswire, occurs against a legal backdrop that has left the entire online segment outside local oversight.
Outdated Law Channels All Activity Offshore
Bolivia’s gambling framework rests on Ley 060, passed in November 2010 and administered by the Autoridad de Fiscalización y Control Social del Juego (AJ). The statute was written for physical lotteries and casinos; it does not address sports betting or online casino products. The AJ has never issued an operating licence to any online betting platform. Costa confirmed there are currently no licensed or registered digital operators in the country.
All online and social-media-based betting therefore runs through offshore servers beyond the AJ’s reach. The result is no consumer protections for users and no tax collection for the state. The AJ proposed amendments to Ley 060 in 2020 to add online-specific licensing and updated penalties. In 2021 the authority interpreted the existing text as already covering online gaming in principle. That reading has produced no actual licences. The government of President Rodrigo Paz is now preparing a fresh reform package in 2026 aimed at ending the grey zone, although no timeline has been set.
Football’s Direct Government Approach After Sponsorship Denial
The FBF’s current position follows an earlier rejection. Two years ago the federation asked the AJ whether clubs could display betting-brand sponsorships on match kits. The AJ said no, because betting advertising is not permitted under any circumstance. Costa has therefore taken the case to government representatives, seeking changes to Ley 060 that would accommodate new betting modalities and bring sports betting under a licensing structure for the first time.
The contrast with neighbours is clear. Brazil, Argentina, Peru and Colombia operate active, if imperfect, regulatory frameworks for online betting. Bolivia remains one of the few major South American markets without any licensing path. All existing demand is captured by offshore operators that pay no local tax and provide no enforceable player protections. Whether the football-driven advocacy produces a legislative push remains an open question.
Reporting: G3 Newswire
Generated by SCCG’s automated editorial system from published source reporting. SCCG Management holds editorial responsibility.
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