Buenos Aires Province Weighs a Full Online Gambling Ban or Biometric Controls in Argentina

A bill in Buenos Aires Province would either shut down online casinos and sports betting entirely or keep the market alive under tighter rules, including biometric checks at entry. For PSPs, the useful detail is not the politics; it is the timeline: if a full ban is adopted, operators would have 30 days to unwind deposits, sessions, and player balances.

1. Senator Federico Fagioli has proposed a total ban on online casinos and sports betting in Buenos Aires Province, drawing on Brazil’s “Law of Lula” as the reference point. If the text is approved, operators would have to exit the market within 30 days.
2. The proposed ban would work on a staged schedule: deposits would have to stop immediately, new gaming sessions would have to end within 10 days, and all player funds would need to be returned within 30 days. Advertising, bonuses, and sponsorships would also be prohibited, while lotteries would remain legal.
3. At the same time, lawmakers are also discussing a less drastic path: keep the legal market open, but add biometric verification at entry, tighter limits on advertising, spending, and play time, plus stronger oversight instead of a full prohibition.
4. The core argument against a ban is the usual one regulators and PSPs know well: if licensed operators disappear, demand does not. In this case, the source points to Brazil, where 428 new illegal sites reportedly appeared within 3 days after the ban, illustrating how quickly activity can move offshore.