Online gambling as a growth driver
Introduction: why online
Argentina is developing a decentralized iGaming model: permits and rules are set by the provinces and the city of Buenos Aires (CABA). This not only restrains risks, but also allows you to "land" the fiscal effect in the budget of each jurisdiction. In CABA and the province of Buenos Aires, the online market has already been formalized: calculations - in pesos, strict identification of players, emphasis on "play legally." All this sets the stage for revenue growth and related services.
Fiscal effect: "long" money in provincial budgets
Buenos Aires (province): for the 1st half of 2024, games (including online) brought over USD 95 million in transfers to the budget. The regulator is IPLyC.
According to specialized publications, the growth of income from rates in the province showed double-digit rates; the online platform accounts for a significant part of the tax base (canon, ingresos brutos, etc.).
Why online strengthens fees: licensed platforms are connected to local payment rails, are visible to the tax authorities and are required to mark legal access; in the province of Buenos Aires, legal sites have a domain. bet. ar. This simplifies control and converts consumer demand into transparent revenues.
Labor market and service chains
The online segment attracts a pool of suppliers: KYC providers, anti-fraud, payment gateways, broadcast studios, marketing agencies, data analytics. In 2024-2025 the country strengthened the AML/CTF framework (Law No. 27. 739) and included VASPs in the reporting perimeter - this created a demand for local compliance teams and audits.
Fintech and safety: rules that scale the market
AML/KYC as growth infrastructure. FATF in December 2024 noted the strengthening of AML/CFT laws and processes; in practice this reduces the "grey" area, increasing the proportion of turnover passing through licensed operators.
A single showcase lay. CABA "Juego seguro y legal" campaigns and IPLyC regulations (online section, .bet. ar) form the recognition of the legal channel and the outflow of traffic from illegal immigrants.
Jurisdictional cases: How it works
Buenos Aires Province (IPLyC)
The official portal contains a section "Juego Online" with legality criteria and warnings (18 +, .bet. ar). At the same time, norms for the prevention of laundering (internal forms through the UIF line) are published, which increases the transparency of operations of operators and payment partners.
City of Buenos Aires (CABA)
The lottery of the city runs the educational page "Juego seguro y legal," emphasizing the control and channels of responsible play. This reduces marketing barriers for "white" brands and increases the conversion to legal online.
The economy is online: where the multiplier arises
1. Fiscal revenues (canons, taxes on gross income, contributions to RG programs).
2. CAPEX/OPEX in IT and media: stream studios, cloud, anti-fraud, analytics - external demand for local B2B services.
3. Payment infrastructure: development of local gateways and bank integrations verified by the regulator.
4. Cross-elements of the experience economy: online increases interest in football/esports betting by converting media audiences into taxable demand through legal channels (especially in the metropolitan cluster).
Risks and how they are neutralized
Illegal sites and crypto crawls. Increased AML control and the VASPs registry reduce the possibility of uncontrolled payments and laundering, pushing traffic into the legal segment.
Advertising and protection of minors. For 2025, Congress and the Senate have an agenda to unify advertising restrictions; metropolitan jurisdictions discuss onboarding biometrics as a standard. It boosts trust and protects growth.
What Provinces Should Do to Accelerate the Effect
Enter "minimums" for advertising/RG and synchronize them with neighbors, while maintaining their own fiscal parameters.
Demand. bet. ar and strict KYC, integrate local payment rails and publicly show KPI transfers (as the province of Buenos Aires does).
Road map to 2030: basic growth scenario
The map lay wider. More provinces are launching online frameworks using the "exemplary" practices of the metropolitan cluster (SAA/prov. BA).
Strengthening AML/KYC. Continuation of the implementation of Law No. 27. 739 and related resolutions on VASP increases the "white" share of turnover.
Growing fiscal contribution. Against the background of the displacement of illegal and recognition. bet. ar provincial transfers are growing at double-digit rates while expanding the player base in the legal channel.
Quick Answers (FAQ)
Does an online operator have to work in pesos?
Yes I did. In the licensed transaction segment - in Argentine pesos; virtual currencies for gambling are not authorized.
How to distinguish a legal site?
Buenos Aires Province emphasizes the domain zone. bet. ar, age 18 +, and presence of regulator marking (IPLyC).
Is there a confirmed "economic footprint"?
Yes: officially reported USD 95 million transfers to the budget prov. Buenos Aires for the 1st half of 2024; publications also record a significant increase in tax revenues from the online segment.
Legal online gambling in Argentina is already a growth driver: it increases tax collection, creates demand for fintech/compliance services, and standardizes the "safe" consumption funnel. The stability of the trend is ensured by the provincial model, strict AML/KYC and understandable labeling legala (.bet. ar); by 2030, this provides a realistic scenario for expanding the legalization map and a double-digit increase in fiscal contribution in leading jurisdictions.