Argentina orders block on 537 illegal gambling websites in Buenos Aires Province

Authorities in Argentina have ordered the blocking of 537 unauthorised online gambling websites in Buenos Aires Province as part of an investigation into illegal betting operations and efforts to protect minors from accessing unlicensed platforms.

The order was issued by the Specialised Cybercrime Prosecutor’s Office of the San Isidro Judicial Department following an investigation into alleged violations of Article 301 bis of Argentina’s Criminal Code, which criminalises the unauthorised organisation and operation of gambling activities.

According to the Argentine Chamber of Casinos, Bingos and Annexes (CASCBA), the action followed evidence submitted by the association identifying hundreds of websites allegedly offering gambling services without authorisation in the province. Investigators concluded that the platforms posed significant risks to consumers, particularly minors, citing weak identity verification procedures and the absence of the safeguards required of licensed operators.

The blocking order forms part of a broader crackdown on illegal online gambling in Buenos Aires Province. Provincial authorities have increasingly relied on court-ordered website blocking, alongside payment restrictions and public awareness campaigns, to curb access to unlicensed operators and protect the regulated market.

Gonzalo Atanasof, president of the Provincial Institute of Lotteries and Casinos (IPLyC), welcomed the decision and highlighted the cooperation between prosecutors and the regulator.

“Every illegal website we succeed in blocking is one less gateway to a clandestine market that does not protect players, does not verify the identity of its users and allows minors to access gambling,” Atanasof said.

Specialised Cybercrime Prosecutor Patricio Ferrari also stressed the importance of cooperation between public authorities and industry stakeholders in combating illegal gambling.

“Interinstitutional cooperation is an indispensable tool in addressing the growth of illegal gambling and, above all, in protecting children and adolescents from the risks associated with these platforms,” Ferrari said.

Illegal online gambling has become an increasing enforcement priority across Argentina as provincial regulators seek to protect licensed operators and strengthen consumer safeguards. Because gambling is regulated at the provincial rather than federal level, operators must obtain authorisation in each jurisdiction in which they offer services, with unlicensed websites subject to enforcement measures including domain blocking.

The latest operation represents one of the largest coordinated enforcement actions undertaken in Buenos Aires Province and highlights the growing use of judicial measures to disrupt the country’s illegal online gambling market.