Buenos Aires as the center of the online market

What is the uniqueness of the metropolitan cluster

Buenos Aires is broadly defined as two jurisdictions: the autonomous city of CABA (capital) and the province of Buenos Aires. Both early and systemically issued an online contour, which is why the "center of gravity" of the market has developed here: their own registers, admission procedures, technical standards and recognizable domain labeling. The legal "foundation" is the same for the whole country: since December 2016, Art. 301 bis of the Criminal Code qualifies the illegal exploitation of gambling as a crime.

CABA (Buenos Aires City): LOTBA has created an online frame and is updating it

The metropolitan regulator LOTBA S.E. maintains a separate section Normativa Juego en Línea. Basic Resolution 321/2018 "creates online games" (casino games, sports bets, virtual events, etc.), it adopted supplementing and amending acts and technical applications (including anti-fraud and traceability). The regulator also publishes material about the "safe and legal game" and campaigns against illegal/protection of minors.

What does this give the market: predictable authorization procedures, a detailed "technical map" of integrations and monitoring, constant updates of standards (for example, appendices to 321/2018 describe the categories of online games and requirements for anti-fraud/traceability).

Buenos Aires Province: Decree 181/2019 + Technical Regulation 791/2019 + .bet. ar

The provincial IPLyC approved Decree 181/2019 in 2019 (regulations to Law 15. 079) with the licensing regime and the register of applicants, as well as Resolution 791/2019 with the Technical Regulations for Online Games (requirements for platforms, reporting, audit, RNG/traceability, etc.). There is a visual marker of legality for the consumer: sites admitted to the provinces operate in the domain zone '.bet. ar`; the regulator and industry explainers point directly to this as a "friend/foe mark."

Why does the market need it: 181/2019 + 791/2019 actually asked the industry "benchmark" of technical compliance and traceability of transactions, and. bet. ar made it easier for users to recognize legal brands (the initiative was supported by ALEA; already in 2022, there were ~ 100 valid registrations of the zone).

Why the "center of the online market" is here

1. Early launch and completeness of norms. CABA was the first to "formalize" online games (321/2018), the province of BA was one of the first to introduce full-fledged technical regulations (791/2019) and competitive procedures.

2. Public registries and procedures. BA operates a register of applicants and application form packs; in CABA - an open regulatory base with applications and changes.

3. Clear marking for players. '.bet. ar 'is an easy way to distinguish an onshore site from a "gray" site. This reduces the share of illegal and increases confidence in the onshore segment.

4. Systemic enforcement. Both CABA and BA province are campaigning against the illegal and remind about Art. 301 bis of the Criminal Code (criminal liability).

Practice: as a player and operator "navigate" in the metropolitan cluster

To the player

Check jurisdiction and domain. In the province of BA, legal sites are on '.bet. ar`; in CABA - check the list of allowed brands through LOTBA publications/communications. Age - 18 +.

READ RG. LOTBA and IPLyC publish sections on responsible play and warnings about risks to minors.

To the operator

Tolerance frame. In BA - Decree 181/2019 (regulations and competition), Technical Regulations 791/2019; in CABA - 321/2018 with technical applications (anti-fraud, traceability, game catalogs).

Documents and registers. Use BA Applicant Register forms and instructions, stay tuned for LOTBA/Boletín Oficial CABA updates on online agencies.

Complementing CABA and BA Province

Although the rules are adopted by different bodies, in conjunction they form the most mature and noticeable online cluster of the country: the capital LOTBA sets the standards for detail and RG communications, and the province of BA - "hard equipment" and convenient labeling. bet. ar. For the rest of Argentina, this is a guide to procedures and user transparency.

Frequent questions

Does the CABA/BA license entitle you to operate nationwide?

No, it isn't. Each province is a separate jurisdiction. The LOTBA permit is valid in CABA; BA province needs IPLyC authorization and compliance with technical regulations.

Is always '.bet. ar 'means "legally"?

This is a mandatory zone for admitted BA provincial sites. Other jurisdictions have their own markers and registries. Check "whose" site and who allowed it.

Where can I see which online games are allowed in CABA?

In the appendices to Res. 321/2018 and Boletín Oficial CABA publications: it lists the categories of games (RNG slots, roulette, maps, etc.) and the requirements for their operation.

Buenos Aires is the center of the online market in Argentina, because there is a combination of early and deep regulations (LOTBA 321/2018), strict technical compliance and transparent procedures (BA: 181/2019 + 791/2019), visual marking '.bet. ar'and active law enforcement based on Art. 301 bis of the Criminal Code. For players, this is a safer and more understandable onshor, for operators - the most clear route of admission and certification.

References: LOTBA - Normativa Juego en Línea (incl. Res. 321/2018, technical applications and materials for RG); Buenos Aires Province - Decree 181/2019, Res. 791/2019 and the register of applicants; domain clarifications. bet. ar; CABA/BA campaign against illegal and mention of Art. 301 bis.