Argentina: Online gambling grew by 272.8% in total visits

Latin America as a whole is experiencing a revolution in online gambling and sports betting. While each country is at a different stage, almost all of them have decided to regulate this segment in order to control the markets, protect players, and generate economic resources for their respective Governments.

Argentina is no exception. From the pioneering province of Misiones to Cordoba, Mendoza, and Chubut, fewer territories remain unregulated in iGaming. This has also led to industry maturation, which is clearly reflected in exclusive indicators shared with G&M News readers by the prestigious firm Similarweb.

According to an analysis of the traffic of 41 active online betting sites throughout Argentina during the first half of 2023, Similarweb verified a total of 311.8 million visits to these gambling sites, representing a growth of 272.8% compared to the same period in 2022, which had 83.65 million visits.

Furthermore, based on this study, from January to June 2023, there was an average of 51.97 million monthly visits to these betting sites, with March and April 2023 having the highest visits volume. Within this range, the sites with the highest monthly visits were Betwarrior.bet.ar (7.2 million), Bet365.bet.ar (6.3 million), and Citycenteronline.bet.ar (6.1 million). As for the behavior of bettors, they typically viewed 11.63 pages per visit, their sessions lasted an average of 12 minutes and 14 seconds, and the bounce rate was 26.3%. The websites that manage to retain visitors for a longer time are Betwarrior.bet.ar (average visit duration of 30 minutes) and Bplay.bet.ar (average time of 24 minutes). Bplay.bet.ar also stands out for having the lowest bounce rate, at 10.7%.

Similarweb, a prominent Israeli company based in New York, USA, provides a digital analysis tool that monitors and studies websites and applications. The software is known for its speed and simplicity in data processing. The company employs a team of 800 individuals with offices across six continents, and it handles 100 million websites and over 4.7 million mobile applications from 190 countries across 210 categories. To learn more about your company’s performance and those of your competitors, you can contact Sofia Muñoz via email at [email protected].

THIS IS THE CURRENT STATE OF ONLINE GAMBLING IN ARGENTINA

This promising reality reveals a booming online gambling market in Argentina, with 17 out of 24 provinces regulated and an increasing number of operators participating legally. In an updated version of the Online Gambling Map previously presented by G&M News, we provide a detailed overview of each territory in the country, including their current situation and active operators.

While, as mentioned, there are 17 provinces with regulated iGaming, it is operational in only 15 (Tucuman, Chaco, Misiones, Corrientes, Entre Rios, Santa Fe, San Luis, Buenos Aires Province, Buenos Aires City, La Pampa, Mendoza, Neuquen, Rio Negro, Chubut, and Santa Cruz), while it is not yet operational in 2 (Formosa and Cordoba). Moreover, in two jurisdictions (Jujuy and Salta), regulation is under debate, while in 5 (Catamarca, La Rioja, Santiago del Estero, San Juan, and Tierra del Fuego), there is not even a debate for online gambling regulation.

GROUP 1: Provinces with iGaming already regulated and operational (15 territories)

1) Tucuman

Regulator: Caja Popular de Ahorros de la Provincia de Tucuman

Authorized site: Palpitos. It offers sports betting, virtual games, slots, and online casino.

2) Chaco

Regulator: Loteria Chaqueña

Authorized site: Interbet (IVISA Group). It offers roulette, slots, video poker, card games, and sports betting.

3) Misiones

Regulator: Instituto Provincial de Loteria y Casinos Sociedad del Estado (IPLyC S.E.)

Authorized sites:

GuazuBet. It offers slots, table games, poker, live casino, sports betting, and Esports.

Casino Club Online. It offers slots, casino games, live tables, poker, bingo, and sports betting.

4) Corrientes

Regulator: Instituto de Loteria y Casinos de Corrientes (ILCC)

Authorized site: Casinos del Litoral Online. It offers casino games, live casino, slots, poker, sports betting, and Esports.

5) Entre Ríos

Regulator: Instituto de Ayuda Financiera a la Accion Social (IAFAS)

Authorized sites:

Bplay (Boldt Group). It offers sports betting, slots, live casino, table games, videobingo, and virtual sports.

Tombola IAFAS. It offers Tombola, Quini 6, and Brinco.

6) Santa Fe

Regulator: Caja de Asistencia Social (CAS) Loteria de Santa Fe

Authorized sites:

Bplay (Boldt Group). It offers slots, live casino, table games, videobingo, and virtual sports.

CityCenter Online. It offers slots, casino, poker, live tables, and bingo.

7) San Luis

Regulator: Agencia para el Desarrollo Economico y la Asistencia Social (ADEAS)

Authorized site: Jugadon (Slots Group). It offers slots, live casino, sports betting, and Esports.

8) Buenos Aires Province

Regulator: Instituto Provincial de Loteria y Casinos de la Provincia de Buenos Aires (IPLyC)

Authorized sites: a total of 7 licenses, with 4 companies operating and 3 yet to operate.

Active Operators:

BetWarrior (Binbaires + Intralot). It offers sports betting, casino, live casino, and virtual games.

Bplay (Boldt Group + 888). It offers sports betting, slots, live casino, table games, and videobingo.

Betsson (Betsson Group + Casino Victoria). It offers sports betting, casino, and live casino.

Bet365 (Bet365 + Bingo Berazategui). It offers sports betting, casino, live casino, slots, and poker.

Companies yet to operate: William Hill (William Hill + Bingo Moreno), Playtech (Playtech + Casino de Tandil), and PokerStars (PokerStars + Bingo de Chivilcoy).

9) Buenos Aires City

Regulator: Loteria de la Ciudad de Buenos Aires (LOTBA)

Authorized sites: a total of 10 licenses.

Bplay (Boldt Group). It offers sports betting, slots, live casino, table games, and video bingo.

BetWarrior. It offers sports betting, casino, live casino, and virtual games.

Betsson. It offers sports betting, casino, and live casino.

Codere Online. It offers sports betting, casino, live casino, slots, roulette, and blackjack.

Bet365. It offers sports betting, casino, live casino, slots, and poker.

Betway. It offers sports betting, casino, and Esports.

Jugadon (Slots Group). It offers slots, live casino, sports betting, and Esports.

Super7 (IVISA Group). It offers roulette, slots, video poker, card games, and sports betting.

Casino Buenos Aires Online (Casino Club). It offers sports betting and live casino.

Betfun (Palermo Racetrack, HAPSA). It offers casino, live casino, slots, and table games. The Hippodrome also has the Beturf site. It offers horse racing betting.

10) La Pampa

Regulator: Direccion de Ayuda Financiera para la Accion Social (DAFAS))

Authorized site: Casino Club Online. It offers slots, casino, live tables, poker, bingo, and sports betting.

11) Mendoza

Regulator: Instituto Provincial de Juegos y Casinos de Mendoza (IPJyC)

Authorized sites: a total of 5 licenses, with 3 companies operating and 2 yet to operate.

Active operators:

BetWarrior. It offers casino, live casino, and sports betting.

Bplay (Boldt Group). It offers sports betting, slots, live casino, table games, video bingo, and virtual sports.

Super7 (IVISA Group). It offers roulette, slots, video poker, card games, and sports betting.

Companies yet to operate: Codere and Rushbet (Rush Street Interactive).

12) Neuquen

Regulator: Instituto de Juegos de Azar de Neuquen (IJAN)

Authorized sites:

La Neuquina Online. It offers lottery.

Casino Magic Online. It offers slots, casino, poker, live tables, bingo, and sports betting.

Casino Maverick Online. It offers slots, casino, poker, bingo, and virtual games.

13) Río Negro

Regulator: Loteria de Rio Negro

Authorized sites:

La Rionegrina Online. It offers lottery and bingo.

Casinos Del Rio Online. It offers slots, table games, and live gaming.

Casino Club Online. It offers slots, casino, live tables, poker, bingo, and sports betting.

14) Chubut

Regulator: Instituto de Asistencia Social (IAS) Loteria del Chubut

Authorized site: Casino Club Online. It offers slots, casino, live tables, poker, bingo, and sports betting.

15) Santa Cruz

Regulator: Loteria para Obras de Accion Social (LOAS) de la Provincia de Santa Cruz

Authorized site: Casino Club Online. It offers slots, casino, live tables, poker, bingo, and sports betting.

GROUP 2. Provinces with regulated online gambling, but still without operation (2 territories)

16) Formosa

Regulator: Instituto de Asistencia Social (IAS Formosa)

Similar to Misiones, Formosa was also a pioneer in online gambling in Argentina. As early as 2005, the regulator authorized Formoapuestas to operate through a provincial license (370/2005). Due to the lack of legal development in the country, that license was revoked in 2008. Since then and up to the present day, the regulator allows playing the lottery (quiniela) through its own website. There are no operators currently working in the market.

17) Cordoba

Regulator: Loteria de Córdoba

After much discussion and legislative controversy, online gambling was approved and regulated in the province of Cordoba. However, the City of Cordoba has not accepted this decision, and remains steadfast in prohibiting iGaming within its jurisdiction. Currently, there are eight (8) licensed operators, but none of them are actively operating at the moment. It is expected that they will begin operating in the future.

Companies without operations: 1) Bplay (Boldt Group); 2) Betsson (Online Cordoba + Casino Victoria); 3) RushBet (Rush Street Interactive); 4) Daruma SAM + CET; 5) Binbaires + Ondiss + Intralot; 6) IVISA Group; 7) Codere (Iberargen), and 8) Slots Machines (Slots Group).

GROUP 3. Provinces where the regulation of online gambling is under debate (2 territories)

Both in Jujuy and Salta, discussions are taking place regarding various international legislations and models of iGaming in order to make progress in this matter. However, in both provinces, there are companies operating with authorization.

18) Jujuy

Regulator: Instituto Provincial de Juegos de Azar de Jujuy (INPROJUY)

Authorized site: Casinos MAC Group Online. It offers slots, casino, live gaming, and bingo.

19) Salta

Regulator: Ente Regulador del Juego de Azar (ENREJA)

Authorized site: Loteria de Salta (Tecno Accion Salta). It offers online lottery.

Recently, the local regulator has also authorized BetWarrior to operate in the territory. But the system that allows the operation of this betting platform in the province is based on a physical model. Users access the BetWarrior website to check on sports events offering, plan their bets, and place them. This generates a QR code that they must take to their nearest or favorite physical agency in the province to validate the bet and make the payment in person. If it is a winning bet, they must also visit the agency to claim the corresponding prize.

GROUP 4. Provinces where online gambling is not regulated and there has not even been a debate (5 territories)

These are the provinces of Catamarca, La Rioja, Santiago del Estero, San Juan, and Tierra del Fuego. Due to political, religious, or agenda-related reasons, the issue of online gambling regulation has not yet reached a stage of deep discussion and analysis. However, there are also some companies operating here with the approval of local regulators.

20) Catamarca

Regulator: Caja de Crédito y Prestaciones de Catamarca (CAPRESCA)

Authorized sites:

PuntoBet (Casino Catamarca Hotel). It offers slots, live tables, virtual casino, bingo, and sports betting.

Fanatikon (Tecno Accion). It offers sports betting.

21) La Rioja

Regulator: Administracion de Juegos de Azar de La Rioja (AJALAR)

There are no authorized iGaming sites.

22) Santiago del Estero

Regulator: Caja Social de Santiago del Estero

Authorized site: Bingo del Sol (Casinos del Sol). It offers online bingo.

23) San Juan

Regulator: Caja de Accion Social (CAS)

There are no authorized iGaming sites.

24) Tierra del Fuego

Regulator: Instituto Provincial de Regulacion de Apuestas (IPRA)

There are no authorized iGaming sites.