Online Gambling in Argentina
Background
Argentina’s online gambling market was entirely unregulated until reasonably recently. A brief history of regulatory development goes something like this.
In the early 2010s, Buenos Aires Province started recognising the need for online gambling regulation, taking initial steps to address it. By mid-2010s, while the federal government debated national regulation, provinces were left to develop their own rules, leading to a fragmented landscape.
Significant strides were made in 2018 when Buenos Aires Province finally passed a bill to regulate online gambling, finalising its framework in 2019 and beginning to issue licenses. In 2020, the City of Buenos Aires implemented its own regulations, attracting both local and international operators. By 2021, Buenos Aires Province and the City of Buenos Aires emerged as leaders in online gambling regulation.
As of 2024, Argentina’s online gambling environment continues to evolve, with more provinces developing regulations inspired by Buenos Aires models. The market is growing, marked by increasing partnerships between international operators and local entities, reflecting a dynamic and expanding regulatory landscape.
bet365’s All Bets Blackjack LatinoAmerica table, with dealer chat en Español
Today a number of well known global brands like bet365 are licensed to operate in Argentina.
Current Regulations
Argentina has a complex online gambling landscape due to its federal structure, where both national and provincial governments have jurisdiction over gambling activities. In practise however, the national government has taken minimal involvement in online gambling regulation, leaving the provinces largely to their own devices.
At a provincial level, leading the way with established online gambling regulations are:
- Buenos Aires Province: The largest and most populous province, regulated by the Instituto Provincial de Lotería y Casinos (IPLyC). In 2019, Buenos Aires passed legislation to regulate online gambling, issuing licenses to several operators.
- City of Buenos Aires: Regulated by the Lottery of the City of Buenos Aires (LOTBA). The city passed its online gambling regulations in 2020, aiming to control and tax online gambling activities.
Licensed operators in the regulated Buenos Aires market include bet365, Betsson, Codere, Bplay (in partnership with 888). All offer a range of live games, including localised tables with dealer chat in Spanish.
