Chile: Polla Chilena renueva directorio, nombra nuevo presidente
The Chilean public gambling company is undergoing a comprehensive change in its leadership. Polla Chilena de Beneficencia announced a complete renewal of its board of directors, headed by the appointment of Felipe Dalgalarrando Haritcalde as the new president. He replaces Macarena Carvallo, who had marked the operator's recent years with a very active public stance against the advance of unauthorized online gambling.
The decision was made within the framework of the company's 36th Ordinary Shareholders' Meeting, held on April 28, and formally communicated through a material event notice addressed to the Chilean Commission for the Financial Market. The change reinforces the signal of institutional continuity but also opens a period of definitions at a stage where Polla is competing for ground against offshore digital operators.
A renewed team for three years
Along with Dalgalarrando's arrival as president, Paula Loyola Schmidt was appointed as the new vice president, replacing Verónica Boloña Urzúa, and Edgardo Fuenzalida Rojas, Eric Van Belle, and Paloma Grob Lea-Plaza as new directors. All positions will be valid for three years, a horizon that coincides with the parliamentary debate on online gambling regulation in Chile and with Polla's strategy to preserve its participation in the lottery system.
A quarter with rising results
The renewal comes at a favorable financial moment for the operator. The company closed the first quarter of 2026 with a 24 percent growth in its gross revenue and a 72.4 percent jump in its net profit, compared to the same period of the previous year. Gross revenue reached CLP36,750.7 million, approximately US$39.6 million, compared to CLP29,628.8 million in the first quarter of 2025.
After deducting taxes, prizes, and legal contributions, the net operating income stood at CLP6,496.6 million (US$7 million), above the CLP5,466.9 million recorded a year ago. Net profit reached CLP592 million, equivalent to about US$638,300, compared to CLP343.4 million obtained in the same period of 2025. The gross margin also improved significantly, favored by a decrease in sales costs.
The change of command at Polla Chilena is part of a regulatory scenario that is being closely watched throughout the region. While Chile discusses how to frame iGaming, state lotteries in countries like Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Paraguay, and the Dominican Republic are negotiating their place within the new online gambling landscape, at a time when public operators are seeking to adjust their governance to maintain their social role without losing competitiveness against the digital channel.
Tags: Chile, Polla Chilena de Beneficence, Chilean state lotteries, Polla Chilena board of directors, public gaming Chile, gaming regulation Chile