Crackdown on illegal betting in Argentina: court orders blocking of 251 sites and warns of risks to minors

The Argentine justice system ordered the blocking of 251 illegal gambling sites in a high-impact measure against clandestine online gambling. The decision was executed by the National Communications Entity (Enacom) after an investigation led by the Specialized Prosecutorial Unit in Cybercrime Investigations (UFEIC) of the Judicial Department of San Isidro.

The case, in charge of prosecutor Patricio Ferrari, began from a complaint filed by the Argentine Chamber of Casinos, Bingos and Annexes (Cascba). According to judicial sources, the platforms detected operated without controls or certifications, and in many cases users could not collect eventual profits, since they were fraudulent schemes.

The investigation warned that these sites did not guarantee minimum conditions of transparency or identity verification, which even allowed access by minors. "Most users lose the money wagered and there is an almost absolute impossibility of collecting prizes," they said.

In addition, the authorities warned about a growing phenomenon: the recruitment of adolescents in vulnerable situations, who are recruited as "cashiers" of these illegal platforms in exchange for minimal commissions, leaving them exposed to criminal networks.

Prosecutor Ferrari stressed the need to strengthen joint work between public and private organizations, especially with the Provincial Institute of Lottery and Casinos of Buenos Aires, to combat both illegal gambling and child gambling, whose effects are aggravated by this type of site.

Background and context
The offensive against illegal gambling has recent precedents. In June 2024, also based on an investigation by the Ufeic, Enacom blocked 55 sites that illegally broadcast sporting events, many of them used to redirect traffic to clandestine betting platforms.

The advance of cyber gambling is generating growing concern in the educational and mental health fields. According to UNICEF data surveyed in 2025, one in four Argentine adolescents between the ages of 12 and 17 has gambled online, which shows the magnitude of the phenomenon and reinforces the urgency of regulatory and awareness-raising measures