As one of the largest nations in South America, Argentina often takes a prominent role in international affairs, especially when it comes to regional questions. With a population of more than 43 million, and a fairly robust economy, the country is a desirable market for a host of different industries – gaming certainly being one of them.
There is plenty of betting to be done in this nation; from its numerous casinos, to horse racing and legal bookmakers. In fact, gambling is so popular in Argentina that it constitutes a multi-billion dollar industry. These figures extend into the digital world, where there is some limited online gambling licensing available in some parts of the country, with overseas operators filling in the gaps.
Argentina’s federal and provincial governments have taken steps towards opening up the country’s online gambling market, but there have also been times when they have sought to keep the industry under wraps, leading to a confusing set of laws and licensing systems.
There have never been any federal regulations for Internet gaming, but the provinces have at various times allowed some companies to be licensed to operate in the country. Back in 2002, the first licensed sites started offering their services, but by 2008, the federal government had put a stop to any further licensing.
With provincial laws still in effect, however, Argentina found itself in a situation where only players in certain provinces are able to play on licensed sites, based on where they are regulated, whereas many others cannot. Various provinces, in fact, have agreements with others to allow cross-border play. Only a few sites have been licensed in this manner, but many operators are wary of entering the market, given the uncertainty of the future of online gambling in this region.
At times there are signs of progress, like in late 2015, when the province of Misiones launched a state-sponsored Internet gaming site that offers casino games and sports betting to players who live there. It was a small step, but one that helped players in the area find a site where they felt comfortable playing.
With so many contradictions regarding regulation, it comes as no surprise that there are plenty of foreign firms willing to step in and offer their games here. The federal government has been unsuccessful in any attempts to block these offshore sites from operating. Laws have been passed in an attempt to stop them, but these bans have been ineffective, and many major firms still operate here today. Some even offer play at casinos online in Argentinian pesos.
There are numerous payment methods available to Argentinian players, the most popular include:
Debit and Credit Cards
These classic methods are still the most popular, with debit and credit card payments being the most used by casino on line players in Argentina.
E-wallets
E-wallets such as Neteller, PayPal, Skrill, and Trustly are growing in popularity amongst online casino players. Due to the uncertainty about legality, many players feel more comfortable with this method because they do not require the sharing personal and banking information with online casino operators.
Always read the terms of agreement when using e-wallets as some bonuses (apart from an online casino no deposit bonus in Argentina) may not be available to e-wallet users.
Cryptocurrency
Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies are not as popular in casinos online in Argentina, but, the payment method is growing in popularity and a greater number of bitcoin casinos in Argentina are becoming available.
The anonymity offered by crypto payments at online casino in Argentina is a plus for players.
Always make sure to play at licensed online casinos so as to assure safety and security is guaranteed with bitcoin and other payments.
Since there are many online casinos licensed in other countries that offer their services in Argentina, you’ll find a vast variety of games available in the country. Table games, live dealer games, and online slots in Argentina are available from the best software providers in the business.
Some of the more popular and trustworthy software developers who provide games to the Argentinian online casino market include:
A change in legislation in the Argentinian city of Buenos Aires that would legalise and regulate online gambling in the city was passed in 2019. But, while applications started to come in from operators, this law was halted in courts in May of 2020 as a result of concerns from Argentinian operators amidst the global coronavirus pandemic.
It is rare that operators themselves seek to halt a law that would legalise online gambling, but it’s more complex than that in this case.
The initial 2019 law would have seen online gambling starting to make steps into Buenos Aire and the excitement was palpable. It was expected that legalisation and regulation in Buenos Aires would lead to more cities in the country following suit. Applications were made from various well-known international developers, but when the global pandemic occurred, the law hit a hefty roadblock.
A group of local operators who run land-based casinos, sent a petition which resulted in all applications being suspended. This was due to a loophole in the law that stated that any company holding a monopoly over casino play in Buenos Aires; operators of big casinos like Puerto Madero’s riverboat casinos and the Hipodromo Argention de Palermo, could not apply.
Due to the effect of the COVID 19 pandemic, and the restrictions brought on, these Argentinian operators were no longer able to provide their land-based casino services, and were struggling to cover payroll and take on other business costs. This is similar to the situation of casinos in Chile, which were closed for most of 2020.
Whether the law comes back into effect after the virus concerns start to dissipate remains to be seen but being that the petition claimed the decree violated ‘federal legislation’ it’s possible that the land-based operators will continue these attempts going forward.
Changes are clearly on the horizon in Argentina, but due to various hurdles, the rolling out of online casino legislation and regulation is going very slowly, and it’s hard to guess what will happen next.
When people think of nations that are known for gambling, a few names usually stand out: China, the United States and Las Vegas, and Monaco because of Monte Carlo. Not as many would put Argentina in the same category. It might come as a surprise that as the nation, it has one of the most highly developed gaming industries in the world.
Depending on how you would classify them, there are more than 100 casinos in Argentina, ranging from clubs with an assortment of slot machines, to hotels that offer gaming. There are also full-scale resorts, and shipboard operations that operate out of several major cities. According to some sources, players from Argentina spend as much as $4 billion or more each year on gambling. Online casinos in Argentina are certainly a major factor in making that possible.
One of the more prominent examples of bricks and mortar establishments in the country is the Casino Central, located in Mar del Plata. Established in 1939, the seaside resort features 140 tables and more than 600 slot machines and is especially popular during the summer tourism season, particularly with North American and European tourists.
But there is much more than just casino gaming in Argentina. Even those who don’t follow sports at all know well that this nation is mad about football (soccer), and it’s only natural that more than a few of those fans would want to place a bet or two each time the national team – or their local club – takes the pitch. Betting shops are common throughout the country, and they have been since the 1990s, when many of the major European bookmakers set up shop.
Horse racing is another popular pastime here, with several major tracks spread out across the country. If you’re looking to watch race action live, you might want to check out the Hipodromo Argentino, located in the Palermo neighborhood of Buenos Aires. Established in 1876, it is now the home of the Gran Premio Nacional, the biggest race in the nation. Lotteries are also popular among Argentinians, with a number of different games being offered in the nation. There are standard drawings, instant scratch off tickets, and even a sports lottery available.
There’s no real danger of pushback on the land-based gambling market in Argentina, so it remains unlikely that anything will change there. However, there is certainly the possibility – and many would say the need – for some clarification on online gambling laws in Argentina.
Over the past few years, there have been calls for a national regulator that could oversee the myriad of provincial laws currently on the books, and keeping the online market legislations as top priority. But there seems to be little progress being made in this area, and it remains unclear just how committed the federal government is to push for regulatory reform.
This uncertainty makes it difficult to predict what will happen, even in the relatively near future. At any time, there could be a serious move towards legislation that would provide a federal framework for such sites, but it’s also possible that Argentina could see their online industry develop similarly to that of the United States, with differing regulations popping up in various states. At the very least, we hope there will be a more tolerant approach to online gambling, like the one taken towards casinos online in Peru. Only time will tell which path legislators and regulators in the country will choose.
Although the online casino market in Argentina is as yet unregulated and quite complex, a number of international operators provide services in the country and accept players from Argentina. There is no shortage of options for Argentina online casino players, so have a look at our recommended sites and pick the best fit for you.
There is no shortage of great casinos for players in Argentina and access to many of the top online casino operators in the world is readily . We have reviewed and listed the best casino online sites in Argentina to make the choice easy for you. So, scroll through and find the bonus and wagering terms that suit your pocket.
Online casino players can benefit from a host of the best online casino slots and other games from high-end developers like NetEnt and Microgaming. Argentina casino bonus options also include no deposit bonuses, deposit matches, free spins, and more exciting bonuses on offer to players. Always read wagering terms for casinos and make sure you sign up to a licensed casino.
Yes, you can. Most leading online casinos in Argentina will allow you to play online in Argentinian pesos. The currency can be used to operate various games. Make sure you read the banking terms of any of the casino you wish to sign up to and check carefully whether they accept Argentinian pesos. Banking terms will also provide information on payment methods.
As with the majority of South American countries, the legal age for gambling in Argentina is 18 years of age. This age restriction is for both land-based casinos and online wagering. We recommend you choose safe online casinos with a good reputation to make sure your personal and banking details are secure while you play online.
