Argentina’s Lotería de Santa Fe has filed a lawsuit against Meta Platforms, accusing the tech giant of enabling illegal gambling advertisements that misuse its well-known Quini 6 brand. The ads, which have appeared across Facebook and Instagram, reportedly redirected users to unlicensed online casinos operating outside the legal framework.
The complaint, filed through the provincial State Prosecutor’s office, demands the immediate removal of the ads, identification of those who paid for the placements, and a permanent ban on further misuse of the brand across Meta’s platforms. In parallel, the lottery has pressed criminal charges under Argentina’s penal code against those responsible for the unauthorised use.
Daniel Di Lena, vice-president of Lotería de Santa Fe, stated that the fraudulent campaigns not only erode consumer trust, but also divert funds from legitimate operators and public institutions. While Meta has offered to register the Quini 6 trademark in its internal filters, new violations reportedly continue to appear, raising concerns about the platform’s enforcement capacity.
This legal action mirrors recent developments in Chile, where Polla Chilena filed a high-profile lawsuit against telecom companies that failed to block access to websites impersonating its identity. The two cases highlight a growing trend in Latin America: state lotteries are taking aggressive legal action to defend their brands in digital spaces increasingly targeted by unlicensed gambling operators.
The broader concern for regulators is the role that major digital platforms may be playing—whether passively or through insufficient oversight—in amplifying fraudulent activity that undermines licensed and tax-contributing gaming systems across the region.
