Court orders blocking of 537 illegal betting sites in Buenos Aires Province
The San Isidro Judicial Department, within the jurisdiction of the Province of Buenos Aires, Argentina, has ordered the blocking of 537 illegal betting sites for violations of Article 301 bis of the Argentine Penal Code, which criminalises the unauthorised operation of gambling activities. The case was driven by the Argentine Chamber of Casinos, Bingo Halls and Annexes (CASCBA) and the Provincial Institute of Lottery and Casinos (IPLyC).
Investigating unauthorised gambling operations in Buenos Aires
Under the direction of Dr. Patricio Ferrari, the San Isidro Judicial Department’s Cybercrime Prosecutor’s Office obtained the order to block 537 websites used for unauthorised gambling and online betting operations. The case looks into violations of Article 301 bis of the Penal Code, which criminalises the unauthorised operation of gambling activities in Argentina.
The case was built on evidence gathered after the Argentine Chamber of Casinos, Bingo Halls and Annexes raised the alarm. The chamber had flagged a growing number of unlicensed gambling sites that operate with no oversight and lack the controls and certifications required to guarantee transparency and the randomness of game outcomes.
Role of the Provincial Institute of Lottery and Casinos
A significant part of the investigation from the regulated sector was led by the Provincial Institute of Lottery and Casinos, the state body responsible for administering and overseeing gambling activities in the Province of Buenos Aires since 1992. The institute operates with its own funds and internal regulations, underpinned by Decree 1170/1992 and Provincial Law 11.536, which designates it as the enforcement authority for all matters related to casinos and lotteries in the province.
Its president, Gonzalo Atanasof, summarised the purpose of the operation: “each illegal site we manage to block is one less gateway to a clandestine circuit that does not protect players, does not verify the identity of users and allows access to minors”.
Prosecutor Ferrari said cases like this only work if public and private groups keep cooperating over time. One block on its own doesn’t do much, he said, unless courts, industry and regulators keep working together on it.
Identity failures, withdrawal issues and risks for minors
The investigation found that many of these sites have inadequate identity verification procedures, which makes it easier for minors to get in and start gambling online at a young age.
It also revealed operating models in which the ability to withdraw prizes or winnings is significantly restricted, increasing the financial harm to users who have already placed bets on these platforms.
Additionally, the Prosecutor’s Office warned that the organisations behind these sites often recruit adolescents and young people to receive or move betting funds, for example by receiving transfers or withdrawing cash in exchange for small commissions. This practice gradually draws them into criminal structures linked to illegal gambling operations.
In light of these risks, authorities highlighted the need to strengthen prevention measures targeting families, educational institutions and the wider community.
A technical block requiring constant monitoring
The National Communications Entity (ENACOM), Argentina’s telecoms regulator, carried out the actual blocking, working with internet service providers (ISPs) to cut access to the sites. Both the Prosecutor’s Office and the Provincial Institute admit this isn’t a one-time fix. New illegal platforms keep popping up, so it takes ongoing monitoring to keep up with them.
Investigations remain ongoing, with the aim of identifying those responsible and adopting further enforcement actions to disrupt their operations.
Removing 537 domains does not fully resolve the problem. It provides only a snapshot of a market operating outside the regulatory framework, one that rebuilds itself every week under new names.
This article was first published on the Spanish SiGMA News page on 21 July 2026.
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