In April, Arturo Vidal, former player of top clubs such as Juventus and Bayern Munich, launched his own gambling platform: Juega con el King. With a flashy announcement on Instagram, he called on fans to ‘bet like a king’.
The platform targets the Chilean market, but is not legal there. Vidal, who still plays for Colo Colo, became the face of the site. But official ownership details are lacking.
Vidal’s platform let people bet on his own red card
The situation escalated on 3 May 2025. During a Colo Colo match against Racing Club, Vidal was shown a red card. Just then, his own betting site offered bets on … whether Vidal himself would get a card.
The odds on a red card stood at 21 to 1. Many fans thought this was no coincidence. Chile’s media spoke of conflicts of interest. Some even whispered about deliberate influence on the game.
Vidal’s reputation collapses as platform erases his name
After the outcry, all references to Vidal disappeared from the site. The logo, promotional videos and even bets on Colo Colo were deleted. Vidal remained silent. No explanations. No apologies.
Meanwhile, South American football federation CONMEBOL launched an investigation based on rules prohibiting players from having financial interests in gambling activities.
Chilean gambling authorities are furious at the confusion
The Chilean Gaming Authority calls the situation ‘dangerous’.
Their director Cecilia Valdés said, ‘We tell citizens that online gambling is prohibited, but a national hero promotes a site of his own.’
She stressed that no one knows who is really behind the site or where the money goes.
This creates uncertainty as well as frustration.
Other players made similar mistakes before
Vidal is not the first. In 2021, Zlatan Ibrahimović was fined €50,000 when it emerged that he had shares in a gambling company. He too was still an active player at the time. That went directly against FIFA rules.
But former players like Jay-Jay Okocha are allowed to act as ambassadors of gambling sites. As long as they are no longer active, there is no legal problem.
This case sets the tone for stricter rules in South America
The Vidal case could be a tipping point. Both sports federations and governments want clearer boundaries. Gambling continues to grow. But when active players make money from it, the game itself becomes unreliable.
The question is not whether it is illegal, but whether sport retains its credibility.