Córdoba becomes the latest province in Argentina to legalise online gambling

The Argentinian province of Córdoba looks set to legalise online gambling after a bill drawn up by lawmakers in December received ratification in the courts. The bill will now be sent to Governor Juan Schiaretti to be signed into law.

The initial legislation was drawn up and presented to courts on 1 December. It sought to introduce a legalised, licensed betting economy to eradicate illegal gambling in the state and permits licences for operators to offer casino, sports and lottery betting.

It is believed that the Córdoba legislation is a “copy” of the one that was approved in the City of Buenos Aires last year, where operators went live for the first time in December.

Speaking at the time, Oscar Félix González, the president of the legislature, said: “Gambling exists, even in provinces that do not authorise it – it is harmful. In the province of Córdoba it is not regulated and soon it will need to be.”

Licences granted will be for a maximum of 20 years and will permit operators to develop their own online offerings locally.

Responsible gambling protocols have been written into the legislation stating that bettors have to be 18 or over and they must register their details with the operator. Deposit limits, self-exclusion limits and time limits have also been included.

The advertising of gambling has also been prohibited unless express consent has been provided by the gaming authority.