Argentina enforced the blocking of 251 illegal online betting sites in April 2026 following a court order driven by the Specialized Cybercrime Investigation Unit (UFEIC) in San Isidro, led by prosecutor Patricio Ferrari, in a crackdown that aligns prosecutors, technical regulators and industry pressure against the rapid expansion of unlicensed gambling. The technical execution was carried out by the National Communications Entity (ENACOM), the telecom and digital infrastructure authority, currently under intervention and led by Juan Martín Ozores, who remains in office as of April 2026.
The case originated from a complaint filed by the Argentine Chamber of Casinos, Bingos and Annexes (CASCBA), which flagged platforms operating without licenses, age controls, identity verification or payout guarantees, exposing users to fraud while enabling access for minors. The legal basis rests on Article 301 bis of the Argentine Penal Code, in force since 2016, which criminalizes the organization and promotion of unauthorized gambling, within a system where regulation is provincial rather than federal.
Darío Genua
ENACOM operates under the Secretariat of Innovation, Science and Technology, headed by Darío Genua, within the Chief of Cabinet of Ministers, led by Manuel Adorni since November 2025. While it does not regulate gambling directly, the agency holds the technical authority to block domains, digital infrastructure and access to illegal platforms, making it a central enforcement tool.
Manuel Adorni
Argentina’s online gambling sector is estimated at approximately US$1.72 billion in 2026, with the total market projected near US$6.4 billion, while unregulated growth has intensified social risks. UNICEF (2025) data shows that 24% of adolescents aged 12 to 17 have engaged in online betting, increasing political pressure for tighter controls on access and advertising.
Authorities are now targeting the digital infrastructure of illegal gambling rather than only operators, in a fragmented regulatory environment where each province grants licenses. What follows is an acceleration of enforcement actions, tighter controls on payments and intermediaries, and deeper coordination between prosecutors, provincial regulators and telecom authorities, as Argentina moves to contain illegal competition and protect fiscal revenues from the licensed market.
