ARGENTINA’S CÓRDOBA PROVINCE APPROVES IGAMING REGULATIONS

Córdoba looks set to become the next Argentinean province to regulate online gambling after regulations were approved by legislators last week.

Bill 34270/L/21 will regulate various iGaming activities, including online casino table games and slots, sports betting and lottery games, and will establish a register of iGaming licensees with ten licences to be issued initially, which can be increased to 20 licences.

It also provides the provincial government with powers to detect and eradicate illegal gambling operations under fraud and criminality charges.

“This is not a massive and uncontrolled empowerment,” said legislator and co-author of the bill Silvia Paleo. “Some ask me ‘why regulate?’. Well, because the only possible path towards responsible gambling is the responsibility of the State. And that is why we raised this project. The only possible path towards responsible gambling is to have a safe game, and for that we must set guidelines, clear and concrete guidelines for operating companies and users.

“I wish we could dedicate ourselves solely to enacting laws on happy issues, on issues that are comfortable for us, on issues that morally have no reproach, on issues without controversy,” Paleo added. “The truth is, we have to work on the issues that reality imposes on us, and clandestine online gambling is a reality in Córdoba.”

Paleo also noted that Córdoba is not a pioneer in this matter after Buenos Aires City and province launched their regulated iGaming markets last December.

The province of La Rioja is also looking to regulate online gambling after regulator Administración Provincial de Juegos de Azar (Ajalar) signed an agreement last year with the Provincial Institute of Lottery and Casinos (IPLyC) of Misiones to develop a safe and responsible online gambling market for the province.

Gamingintelligence