TLDR
- Argentina has introduced a four-bill package to crack down on unlicensed online gambling platforms.
- Tech companies, payment processors, and ISPs face up to four years in prison for supporting illegal betting sites.
- Platform operators face up to six years in prison, with higher penalties if minors are involved.
- All gambling advertising will be banned across TV, radio, social media, and public spaces if the law passes.
- Sports clubs, athletes, and influencers will be prohibited from promoting or sponsoring betting brands.
Argentina Targets the Tech Supply Chain Behind Illegal Online Gambling
Argentina’s government has sent a sweeping package of gambling laws to Congress, targeting not just illegal betting operators but also the technology providers that keep those platforms running.
The proposal, submitted on May 22, adds a new criminal code provision called Article 301. It allows courts to prosecute anyone providing software, equipment, financial services, or other material support to unauthorized gambling businesses.
A New Kind of Enforcement
Tech companies and payment processors can face up to four years in prison under the new rules. The actual operators of illegal betting sites face up to six years, with penalties rising further if minors are found to be using the platform.
President Javier Milei’s administration framed the initiative as a public health response to gambling addiction, with Cabinet Chief Manuel Adorni leading the announcement.
The legislation also turns existing government agencies into digital enforcers. The Communications Authority would gain the power to block unauthorized websites. The Central Bank would be required to freeze financial transfers from accounts belonging to minors that are linked to betting platforms.
The National Securities Commission would take on oversight of virtual asset providers and crypto brokers connected to illegal gambling. The national domain registry would also be able to remove web addresses tied to unapproved sites.
Sports and Social Media in the Crosshairs
The bill goes beyond the underground market. It would eliminate gambling advertising from television, radio, public spaces, and social media entirely.
Sports clubs, athletes, and venues would be banned from signing sponsorship deals with betting companies. The restrictions extend to social media influencers, journalists, and livestreamers, who would be barred from promoting gambling products.
Welcome bonuses and other sign-up promotions used to attract new users would also become illegal.
Biometric identity checks would be required before users can place a bet, to verify they meet the legal age requirement. Several groups would be blocked from gambling altogether, including employees of gambling companies, professional athletes, coaches, referees, and those listed on the national Child Support Debtors Register.
Rogelio Iparraguirre, who leads the congressional committee on addiction prevention, told local media that youth gambling behavior is shaped by the broader adult environment, not just by access to platforms.
The national drug policy body, Sedronar, would take responsibility for treating gambling addiction under the same public health framework used for substance abuse, working alongside the Ministry of Health.
The bills remain under congressional review.
