888 and Betsson apply for a license in Buenos Aires

Foreign operators seek to gain a foothold in the Buenos Aires market. ©PixaBay/Capri23auto

The government of political scientist María Eugenia Vidal had already opened the doors for the regulation of online betting in the province of Buenos Aires with the 2026 tax bill and the creation of the Online Gaming License Registry. Now we have a list of up to 15 candidates who are competing for one of the seven licenses granted by the province of Buenos Aires . But they are not the only ones. Industry giants like Bwin or bet365, who have already set foot in New Zealand, are on the prowl. New Zealand operators such as Codere have also shown their interest. The legislation proposed by Governor Vidal could be opening the door to a million-dollar business.

The regulation proposal presented by the government of the province of Buenos Aires has not been without criticism, as it would be putting the fundraising objective first without considering the negative effects of online gambling and betting. This has been the main concern of the CEA, the Argentine Episcopal Confederation, and the National Commission for Pastoral Care of Addictions and Drug Dependence, which would have liked a public debate on the social repercussions of the new law. The problem is that today through the mobile phone you let people enter the casino at home, protested the bishops, who warn of the danger of offering “timba as a possible solution” for life.

Regulate the sector and tax online gambling

The 2026 Tax Law taxes online gambling. ©PixaBay/ExplorersInternational

The Vidal government's proposal regulates games of chance in its articles 142 and 143, including “casino games – table games and automated electronic gambling machines” as well as sports betting and lotteries. There “where amounts of money are risked on future and uncertain results, regardless of whether the degree of skill of the players predominates or whether it is exclusively luck or chance.” One of the objectives of the Tax Law 2026 is to create two new taxes on the sector: one on online gambling, which, since it was not regulated, was not taxed, and another on the winnings from betting on slot machines . The Province expects a raising 5 million pesos .

Despite the objections expressed by Argentine society and the political opposition, the truth is that the industry has expressed its satisfaction and great expectations have been generated for the business. According to the consulting firm iGaming Latam Consulting, although the online gaming industry is not yet regulated in the vast majority of Latin American countries, it is estimated that the business volume amounts to around USD 1.5 billion.

There is a great expectation, companies hope that the regulation will be extended to the national level to be able to offer their products and services not only in the province of Buenos Aires, but throughout the Argentine territory. – Juan Ignacio Juanena , founder, iGaming Latam Consulting

Meanwhile, the new candidates 888 and Betsson have already established collaborations with local partners that will facilitate their entry into the Argentine market. The law stipulates that no foreign operator will be allowed to participate if it is not associated with a local operator . Betsson has announced Casino de Victoria as its commercial partner, a physical casino in the province of Entre Ríos. For its part, 888 Holdings will operate through Boldt, a company dedicated to the lottery business that is very active in Buenos Aires. But they are not the only ones. Betway has joined Bingo King while Codere Latam has confirmedMado its collaboration with the bingo hall operator Iberargen.

The Tax Law 2026 will cause the liberation of the gambling market and sports betting, first in the province of Buenos Aires, which may serve to pave the way for similar legislation at the national level. One more step in the neoliberal economic policies that Mauricio Macri's executive has been implementing in recent years.

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