Buenos Aires Lottery outlines anti-illegal gambling strategy at ICE Barcelona
Table of contents
- LOTBA presented a dual approach combining public awareness campaigns with coordinated enforcement actions.
- Regulator shut down 2,000+ illegal platforms and reported 110+ influencers to prosecutors.
- The illegal market represents 75-80% of total betting in Argentina, operating mainly through WhatsApp.
Lotería de la Ciudad de Buenos Aires (LOTBA) outlined its strategy to combat illegal gambling during ICE Barcelona 2026.
The regulator detailed enforcement actions, prevention initiatives and judicial cooperation during the “Fighting the Black Market” panel at the Latin America Academy.
Ezequiel Domínguez, Director of LOTBA, said the regulator adopted a proactive stance following the start of the current city administration under Buenos Aires Chief of Government Jorge Macri.
The panel included Ida López, President of ALEA, and Yuri Guerra, General Director of Peru’s Dirección General de Juegos de Casino y Máquinas Tragamonedas, focusing on information sharing and regulatory cooperation among licensed markets.
Prevention and enforcement combined
The strategy combines prevention through the “Hablar es Ganar” (To Speak is to Win) campaign with enforcement actions coordinated with the Ministry of Justice and Public Prosecutor’s Office through a specialised Gambling Prosecutor’s Office led by Dr. Juan Rosas.
The authority has shut down more than 2,000 illegal gambling platforms and reported over 110 influencers to prosecutors for promoting unlicensed sites on social media.
Jesús Acevedo, President of LOTBA, commented in the past:
“It is essential that those who have visibility on social media understand the seriousness of promoting illegal gambling platforms. From LOTBA, we will continue to work firmly to promote Responsible Gambling and combat both clandestine gambling and gambling addiction, especially among minors.”
Enforcement measures
Through the Association of State Lotteries (ALEA), LOTBA established agreements with META, NIC.AR, ENACOM, Mercado Libre and Rapipago to remove and block content promoting illegal gambling. The regulator blocked gambling URL access on school Wi-Fi networks and the public BA WIFI network.
Market scale
LOTBA is chaired by Jesús Mariano Acevedo since December 2023. The regulator estimated that the illegal market represents 75-80% of total betting in Argentina, operating mainly through WhatsApp with “cashiers” who create anonymous accounts, allowing minors to access gambling.
The enforcement actions establish precedent for holding public figures accountable for promoting unlicensed operators. The specialised prosecutor’s office enables more effective prosecution of illegal operations compared to administrative measures alone.
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