Is online gambling legal in City of Buenos Aires (Argentina)?
Status of online casinos, the regulator, the minimum age and where to get help, with our sources and the date we checked them.
Short answer
Online casino play is legal for players located in the City of Buenos Aires on LOTBA-authorised platforms. The minimum age to gamble is 18.
Legal overview
In the Autonomous City of Buenos Aires, gambling is supervised by Lotería de la Ciudad de Buenos Aires (LOTBA), the enforcement authority under Law 538 on betting games. LOTBA authorises and controls games of chance in the city, and since 2021 it has licensed private operators to offer online casino games and sports betting to people located in the city. Unlike the neighbouring province, the city used an open registry without a fixed number of licences and without a local-partner requirement, but it stopped accepting new applications in 2024, so only already-authorised platforms may operate. Licensed sites use the .bet.ar domain, and LOTBA's own lottery games are sold online at lotba.bet.ar.
All betting games authorised by LOTBA are restricted to people over 18. LOTBA's responsible-gambling website, Juego Seguro y Legal, offers a self-exclusion programme with an initial period of two years, which can be requested online or in person, as well as a guidance line for problem gambling and a channel to report illegal gambling. LOTBA has also acted against unlicensed operators: in mid-2024 it had hundreds of social media profiles and ads, a number of .ar websites and online marketplace listings blocked or removed and sent formal warnings to influencers promoting illegal sites. Running gambling without authorisation is also a crime under article 301 bis of the national Penal Code.
A city licence only covers play within the city, so players who move into Buenos Aires Province need an account with a site licensed there.
| Status | Regulated market |
|---|---|
| Regulator | Lotería de la Ciudad de Buenos Aires (LOTBA S.E.) |
| Main law | Ley 538 de Juegos de Apuestas (City Law 538 on betting games, consolidated text) and LOTBA regulations |
| Licensing model | Registry-based licensing by LOTBA without a cap on the number of operators or a local-partner requirement; new registrations were closed in 2024. |
| Online casinos | Online casino play is legal for players located in the City of Buenos Aires on LOTBA-authorised platforms. |
| Enforcement | LOTBA has had unauthorised gambling sites, social media profiles and ads blocked or removed, partly through agreements with ENACOM, NIC Argentina and online platforms, and has sent warnings to influencers promoting illegal sites. |
| Minimum age | 18 years |
| Currency | ARS |
| Self-exclusion scheme | Lotería de la Ciudad self-exclusion programme |
| Last checked | October 25, 2026 |
Frequently asked questions
Who regulates online casinos in the City of Buenos Aires?
Lotería de la Ciudad de Buenos Aires (LOTBA), the city's gaming authority under Law 538. It authorises the private operators allowed to serve players in the city.
Can new operators still get a licence in the City of Buenos Aires?
No. The city closed registration for new online licences in 2024, so only platforms already authorised may operate.
How can I self-exclude in the City of Buenos Aires?
Through LOTBA's Juego Seguro y Legal website or in person at its offices; the exclusion initially lasts two years.
Help and self-exclusion in City of Buenos Aires (Argentina)
Free, confidential support: Lotería de la Ciudad – Juego Seguro y Legal (helpline 0800-666-6006)
Self-exclusion: Lotería de la Ciudad self-exclusion programme
Sources
- juegosegurolegal.gob.ar
- static.buenosaires.gob.ar/sites/default/files/media/document/2022/06/13/643f720cc8d1fe5ed8d6b6a846d39b8f6960e2ba.pdf
- beccarvarela.com/en/publicaciones/boletin-del-departamento-de-e-commerce-internet-julio-2024-lotba-la-agencia-regulatoria-de-juegos-de-azar-de-la-ciudad-de-buenos-aires-adopta-medidas-contra-sitios-no-autorizados-e-influencers/
- yogonet.com/latinoamerica/noticias/2026/06/09/109280-la-loteria-de-la-ciudad-de-buenos-aires-renueva-su-plataforma-de-juego-responsable
- yogonet.com/latinoamerica/noticias/2026/03/25/108080-como-es-la-reglamentacion-de-los-casinos-online-en-caba-y-en-la-provincia-de-buenos-aires
- leyes-ar.com/codigo_penal/301%20%20bis.htm
This overview is editorial information, not legal advice. Laws change; the regulator's own publications are binding.