Chilean casino association head named in iGB influential women list

Cecilia Valdés, executive president of the Chilean Association of Gaming Casinos (ACCJ), has been named one of iGaming Business's Most Influential Women for 2026, the trade publication reported.

Valdés came to the gambling sector in 2022 not from within the industry but from two decades in strategic communication, public affairs and institutional management, having worked previously as a journalist and historian.

She told iGB that the recognition was meaningful because it showed that work being done in Chile was being noticed internationally, adding that influence should be judged on the ability to drive change and build consensus rather than on title alone.

Since taking up the ACCJ role, Valdés has focused on professionalising the association and raising its profile with government, regulators and other institutions, as well as expanding its engagement internationally.

She described the task as building relationships across government, legislators, business organisations, police and local authorities, and pointed to the association's involvement in international forums as a way of importing regulatory lessons while shaping Chilean policy.

A central part of her agenda is pressing for progress on a bill to regulate online gambling in Chile, which has stalled since it was introduced in 2022. Valdés argued the sector needs clear rules capable of responding to technological and regulatory change, warning that decisions taken now will shape whether it remains competitive and sustainable.

Her stated priorities include correcting competitive imbalances between operators, protecting the sustainability of licensed casinos, and tackling illegal gambling in both land-based and online markets. She also pointed to the sector's wider economic contribution, citing jobs, investment, tourism and revenue for regional development.

Valdés was explicit about linking diversity to better decision-making, arguing that representation of women in the industry needs to translate into genuine opportunities to reach leadership roles and take part in decision-making, not simply visibility.

She has spent more than five years mentoring women through WoomUp, a Chilean organisation supporting women's careers, describing the promotion of women's leadership as a personal as well as professional commitment.

Asked what advice she would give to others aiming to build influence in the sector, Valdés said careers should be built in pursuit of real impact rather than recognition, and that recognition, where it comes, should follow from consistent work rather than be the goal itself.

She also encouraged professionals to be open to moving into unfamiliar areas of the industry, pointing to her own shift from communications into gaming, and stressed that building a career depends on networking and reciprocity rather than working in isolation.

Looking ahead, iGaming Business reported that Valdés identifies two linked priorities for Chile's gaming sector: shielding licensed operators from unfair competition, and helping shape a regulatory system capable of keeping pace with digital change.