The bill would bring Argentina’s financial system into the fight against illegal online gambling. Banks, payment service providers, and virtual asset service providers would be prohibited from serving operators that lack authorization.
Payments Become a Core Enforcement Tool
The bill would require the Central Bank to block money transfers made to gambling providers from minors’ bank accounts. This provision shows that the government wants enforcement to move beyond website blocking.
In addition, the CNV would be involved in action against virtual asset providers supporting unauthorised operators.
Licensed Platforms Face Tougher Identity Rules
The proposal separates licensed platforms from illegal operators. Operators that are authorized may continue their activity, but they would need effective systems to verify age and block minors.
Under the bill, licensed operators that do not have the technical means to detect minors could face financial restrictions. The objective here is to prevent minors from accessing the betting websites by using accounts, cards, wallets, or other means of payment.
The Ministry of Health and Sedronar would lead prevention and treatment work. It was indicated by the government that the bill includes educational and awareness campaigns, as well as public sector training and data collection on gambling harm.
Two approaches would be taken by the bill. One would be against the illegal operators, while the second will focus more on compliance issues.
Digital Regulators Would Share the Work
This initiative divides the workload among several authorities rather than introducing an overall betting organization. The Communications Regulatory Authority (ENACOM) would be able to block access to unauthorised gambling content or platforms. NIC Argentina could suspend or take offline domains related to the illegal gambling operations.
A new set of criminal punishments would also be introduced by the proposed law. Illegal operators of the betting system could receive between three to six years of jail time. Persons or firms that would provide illegal operators with crucial services – financial, technical, advertising, or digital – would receive two to four years in prison.
Advertising is also covered. The bill would ban the promotion, sponsorship and distribution of illegal gambling platforms across different channels, including:
- Television;
- Radio;
- Public spaces;
- Social media;
- Digital environments.
Ads for authorized operators could not target minors or link gambling with economic, work or social success.
Political Debate Is Still Open
The proposal arrives while Argentina is still debating broader online betting rules. A separate bill approved by the Chamber of Deputies in 2024 included wider restrictions on advertising and sponsorships.
The government proposal, on the other hand, is more specific. It targets mainly illegal operators, minors, identity checks, payments, and support services. Nonetheless, critics may still argue that the proposal leaves room for licensed gambling advertising.
The Practical Impact
If the final law keeps the payment and age-verification rules, Argentina’s online betting market could shift toward heavier compliance checks at the banking, crypto, and platform levels. For licensed operators, the message is clear: access control and transaction monitoring may soon become as important as the gambling licence itself.
