Illegal online gambling accounts for 80% of all online gambling activity within Argentina’s Buenos Aires province, according to Gonzalo Atanasof, president of the Buenos Aires Provincial Institute of Lottery and Casinos (IPLyC).
Speaking before the Gambling Committee of the provincial Chamber of Deputies, Atanasof highlighted that these unregulated platforms operate outside state supervision and routinely allow minors to participate. He characterized the underground sector as a complex form of transnational organized crime, urging the provincial legislature to exercise its authority and grant regulatory bodies enhanced enforcement tools.
Addressing lawmakers in Room 30 of the Chamber of Deputies, Atanasof was joined by key institute directors, including Carlos Gallo for gambling and operations, Sebastián Silvestre for legal affairs, and Laura Spinelli for systems. Presided over by Deputy Micaela Olivetto, the Committee on Gambling, Lotteries and the Prevention of Gambling Addiction convened to discuss digital regulation, the magnitude of the illicit market, and preventive oversight policies.
The perfect storm driving illegal market growth
Atanasof explained that the dominance of unlicensed platforms stems from what he termed a “perfect storm” combining four primary drivers: the rapid expansion of digital platforms, widespread hyperconnectivity, ongoing economic pressures, and changing consumer behaviors. Because many of these illegal organizations operate from foreign jurisdictions, provincial authorities face significant jurisdictional hurdles in dismantling their infrastructure.
“We are facing a complex crime, involving organisations that often operate from abroad and require specific tools to detect and dismantle them,” Atanasof told the committee.
Stark contrast with authorized operators
Contrasting the underground market with state-sanctioned platforms, Atanasof emphasized the strict compliance obligations imposed on legal operators. While illegal sites readily admit minors and evade taxation, authorized platforms must verify user identities through stringent measures, including biometric verification, sworn declarations, and cross-referencing data with the National Registry of Persons (RENAPER). Protecting children and adolescents remains a core rationale for targeting unlicensed operators.
Furthermore, Atanasof warned of the wider economic repercussions associated with the digital shift and illegal market expansion, noting negative impacts on employment and tax revenues across land-based gaming sectors. Concluding the session, which was attended by eleven provincial lawmakers including Diego Garciarena, Andrés De Leo, and Fabián Luayza, Atanasof expressed optimism regarding lawmakers’ willingness to collaborate.
“This meeting could be the start of a process to secure more tools and better results,” Atanasof concluded.
