Argentina Betting Sites

Argentina is the second most populated country in Latin America, with an estimated population of around 46 million. It is the birthplace of football legends Diego Maradona and Lionel Messi. Gambling in Argentina started with the first legal lottery in the 1810s, shortly after the country declared its independence from Spain in 1816. The gambling sector grew immensely with the horse races at the Hipódromo Argentino de Palermo that opened in Buenos Aires in 1876 and began taking bets from thousands of people.

In the 1960s, sports betting became a common pastime for many Argentinians. Online betting is semi-regulated nowadays. The country consists of 24 provinces in total, of which only 10 have online regulations in place. International sports betting sites in Argentina are typically illegal; however, there are no legal restrictions for players who opt for them.

Best Sports Betting Sites in Argentina

The following are the top betting sites in Argentina. They offer a great range of betting markets on the Argentine Primera División, as well as high odds and appealing promotions on a daily basis.

Gambling in Argentina - 5 Things to Know

• 1
  The legal gambling age in Argentina is 18 years
• 2
  Annual online gambling revenue is circa $420 million
• 3
  Bueno Aires announced the results for gambling licenses in 2021
• 4
  Only 10 provinces have regulated online gambling 
• 5
  There is no tax on betting winnings

General info

⏩Population: 45.376.763

⏩Active players: 7.000.000

⏩Currency: Argentine peso (ARS)

⏩Regulated gambling products: Sports betting, casino games, horse racing, lottery

⏩Operator types: Licensed & unlicensed online bookmakers and casinos, land-based betting shops & casinos

⏩Designated authority: Each one of the 24 provinces has a different regulatory authority

⏩Status: Semi-regulated

Is Sports Betting in Argentina Legal?

Argentina is organized under a federal system. 24 provinces, including the city of Buenos Aires, constitute the country’s administrative model. Up to February 2018, the Sports Forecast Law dealt with organized betting on sports nationwide. It allowed forecasts on any sporting event, with the exception of horse racing.

The National Lottery managed and offered all betting options. It was a public corporation that was exclusively responsible for the country’s betting landscape. The National Lottery dissolved in February 2018 via Decree No. 95/2018 of the Argentine National Executive.

Nowadays, every province has the competence to regulate gambling by its own local jurisdiction. So, there are no federal Argentina gambling laws. Instead, each provincial authority has already set out its own gambling regulations. Land-based gambling is legal in all provinces. However, the province of Buenos Aires was the first to put forward the regulation of online gambling in order to grant Argentina online gambling licenses.

Currently, the following 10 provinces have online gambling regulations in place: Buenos Aires, Misiones, Tucumán, Neuquén, San Luis, Entre Ríos, Chaco, Río Negro, La Pampa and Corrientes. Each one of them has a separate regulatory authority.

The online activity of bookmakers is limited to each province; otherwise, they might face prosecution and website blocking. Many international bookies have already applied for betting licenses; still, none of them has received one. On the contrary, a few local operators, such as Palpitos24, Interbet, Jugadon and Guazubet, already hold licenses.

All licensees pay taxes. In Argentina, the gambling tax is threefold: federal, provincial and municipal. The federal tax is 41% and applies to betting operators in all provinces. There is also a 21-25% provincial and municipal tax depending on each province.

Essential Information for Argentinian Bettors

In Argentina, online gambling regulation is either on its way in many provinces or has already been settled and the applications for online betting licenses are under review. Locals gamble on licensed bookmakers.

However, no legal action has been reported against players who choose to place their bets on non-licensed international bookies. Betting winnings are tax-free. Nevertheless, there is a 5% tax that applies to every bet placed on licensed operators. Yet, this tax doesn’t apply to bets placed on international sportsbooks.

Bet Argentina: How to deposit at online bookies

One of the most popular deposit methods among players is debit/credit cards. Furthermore, local bookmakers in Argentina offer a popular deposit method in Latin American nations called Lobanet. This payment allows instant bank transfers.

On the other hand, bettors who opt for international sportsbooks prefer to deposit funds to their account through globally known e-wallets, such as Skrill, Neteller and EcoPayz. Their primary concern is to keep their personal information as safe as possible, that is why they avoid cards and bank wire. You can also find many Astropay bookmakers since the method is popular locally. 

The Future of Online Betting in Argentina

With an estimated annual revenue of USD 2.4 billion in online gambling, Argentina is planning to fully regulate online betting in all 24 provinces over the coming years in order to boost its own economy. The Argentinian government increased the tax on every wager from 2% to 5% in early 2021.

Moreover, the authorities seem ready to regulate the online gambling environment soon since most bettors opt for international operators. Thus, the country is determined to increase its tax revenue through the legalization of many renowned international sportsbooks sooner rather than later.

Gambling in the Neighbouring Countries

Argentina is not the only country in South America where gambling is popular and regulated. In fact, some of its neighbouring countries have also developed their own gambling markets and regulations, attracting both local and foreign players.  Let's explore the gambling situation in some of the countries:

⏩ Uruguay: Uruguay is a small country in South America that has a long history of gambling. The country has a state monopoly on gambling, which means that only the government can operate and regulate gambling activities. However, this does not mean that gamblers have no options to enjoy their favourite games since there are many Uruguay betting sites available.

⏩ Chile: The country has a mix of land-based and online gambling options, which are regulated by different authorities. While land-based gambling is mostly controlled by the state, online gambling is more open and accessible. The Chile betting sites offer sports, casino games, poker, and more to locals.

⏩ Paraguay: With a liberal and friendly attitude towards gambling, the country developed a regulated and licensed gambling market. However, online gambling is still unregulated, and betting sites in Paraguay have been awaiting news on the government's next steps.