The newspaper Ambito reported that the Specialized Prosecutor’s Office for Gambling (FEJA) has ordered Fernández to attend the hearing in person.

The order follows a series of complaints from the regulatory Buenos Aires City Lottery. The regulator has started to compile reports on social media stars suspected of promoting unlicensed casino and betting sites.

Argentine law stipulates that promoting betting platforms that are not licensed to operate in any jurisdiction is punishable by three to six years in jail.

The star, who also works as a model, has 6.3 million followers on Instagram. She has previously launched family and home workout-themed YouTube channels. Her legal team is yet to make a public statement on the case.

Cinthia Fernández: Star to Face Questioning on May 27

The lottery says that Fernández shared testimonials from social media followers who thanked her for introducing them to a betting site.

Prosecutors say that messages like these “encourage gambling as a path to personal success and create false expectations.”

This could constitute violations of Buenos Aires laws aimed at preventing pathological gambling.

Prosecutors are particularly keen to speak to Fernández about an Instagram story in which she claimed to have made over $20 from playing an online casino game.

In the video, she also explained how viewers could create their own online accounts. The star also appeared to use the word “reliable” in reference to the site.

She also shared a reference code that could help viewers gain benefits or discounts on the site.

The media outlet hinted that similar probes into other influencers could be forthcoming. The lottery has sent prosecutors complaints about over 100 social media stars based in the province.

The lottery says that many social media stars have published posts that “include gambling-related content aimed at children and adolescents.”

Buenos Aires Crackdown

Buenos Aires is currently conducting a major crackdown on web-based casinos. Since September last year, city courts have ordered IP providers to block access to more than 330 illegal online gambling platforms.

As part of the crackdown, courts in the province have issued takedown orders for some 1,600 social media profiles and advertisements.

Police in the city, meanwhile, recently seized firearms and almost $1.5 million worth of cash in a raid on an underground gambling den in the district of Villa Lugano.

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Per a report from Noticias Argentinas, officers have charged a Paraguayan citizen with organizing illegal gambling games in an underground gambling center and the unlawful possession of a firearm.

Illegal Casino Raid: Buenos Aires Police Confiscate Guns and Cash

Police said they raided the den during an evening gambling session. They said they found 27 people playing cards and dice during their operation at a residential address in the district of Villa Lugano.

The operation was the brainchild of the Buenos Aires Prosecutor’s Office Contraventional Conduct and Misdemeanors unit.

The Buenos Aires Metropolitan Police’s Urban Operations Department also participated in the raid. The prosecution unit asked the city’s criminal court to issue a search warrant after confirming the den’s location.

Officers said they took the Paraguayan citizen, the 30-year-old owner of the house, into custody. Patrons arrested during the raid were released on bail.

Police said they raided the house on Villa Lugano’s Chilavert Street after learning that a gambling session was underway.

During the operation, police and prosecution bailiffs seized the cash, as well as a .38 caliber revolver loaded with five bullets. Officers also confiscated five cell phones, a gaming table, 30 decks of cards, 35 dice, bingo cards, and a bingo machine.

Citywide Crackdown Underway

Buenos Aires prosecutors have been working with the city’s courts and the capital’s gambling regulator on a wide-reaching crackdown on illegal casino platforms.

The crackdown began in earnest in September last year, when a court ordered IP providers in the province to block access to 237 websites.

The regulator and other officials have also charged 48 celebrities and influencers with promoting illegal gambling sites on their social media pages.

Argentina is home to some of Latin America’s biggest casinos. These include the giant Casino Central, one of LATAM’s largest gambling venues, in Mar de Plata.

In nearby Brazil, the government has recently announced the addition of more esports and online gaming titles to a central list of sports on which its residents can place bets.

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The Spanish-language media outlet Infobae reported that Buenos Aires City courts have ordered IP providers to block residents’ access to over 330 illegal online gambling platforms since September last year.

The operation is a collaborative effort involving a special Buenos Aires prosecution service-run gambling unit and the City of Buenos Aires lottery, the city’s sole gambling regulator.

In September last year, courts blocked an initial 237 websites. In late March, they followed up with over 70 new blocking orders.

Buenos Aires Crackdown Gathers Pace

Jesús Acevedo, the lottery’s President, said: “We are the only body that can grant companies the legal right to operate gambling platforms in Buenos Aires. Our crackdown is part of an awareness-raising drive. We consistently strive to encourage responsible gaming and prevent childhood gambling addiction.”

Courts have suspended over 1,600 social media profiles and advertisements during the crackdown.

And they have charged 48 celebrities and influencers with offenses related to promoting illegal gambling sites on social media pages.

The Judicial Investigation Corps of the Buenos Aires Public Prosecutor’s Office decided to act following a complaint from the Argentine Chamber of Casino, Bingo, and Annex Halls (CASCBA).

The CASCBA is a civic body that comprises the nation’s regulated casinos and slot machine centers.

Industry insiders called the crackdown a “significant intervention.” They said it would help restrict access to a range of “prohibited services.”

Recent Legal Change Opens Door to Action

Officials say they are acting within the framework of laws launched in July 2024. These laws allow them to intervene when they see evidence of sites targeting young people. The city says there has been a significant increase in gambling among minors.

In mid-2024, CASCBA reported 18 influencers to the Buenos Aires prosecution service, accusing them of promoting illegal online gambling services.

The group’s lawyers said that CASCBA was doing all in its power to assist public authorities in their bid to eradicate sites that target minors.

La Nacion reported that the claim alleged that influencers, including the singer Flor Vigna and Sports journalist Flavio Azzaro, had promoted these services.

Vigna had over five million Instagram followers at the time, while Azzaro’s YouTube page had over 500,000 subscribers.

CASCBA’s legal team wrote that the influencers were “primary accomplices” and “intermediaries” who connect players with illegal platforms.

Elsewhere in Latin America, the Brazilian government has recently added more esports and online gaming titles to its list of sports on which its residents can place bets.

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Per an official release from the Buenos Aires Provincial Lottery and Casino Institute, the move will help boost the “competitiveness of the province’s casinos.”

The casinos in question are located in Necochea, Miramar, Tandil, Sasso, Hermitage, Mar de Ajo, and Sierra de la Ventana.

The regulator’s President, Gonzalo Atanasof, signed a resolution to promote the call for tender. All seven casinos are currently operating with an extension on their concessions.

Buenos Aires Casinos Set for ‘Modernization’ Bids

The regulator said successful bidders will be invited to sign 20-year operating agreements with one-year optional extension clauses.

The regulator will begin to review tenders from bidders at midday on July 8 at its headquarters in La Plata. The Institute wrote: “We expect bidders to invest in building improvements.” It added that bidders would need to “modernize gaming rooms and slot machine offerings and promote competitive entertainment venues.”

The regulator also wants the operators to provide year-round dining and entertainment offerings.

Atanasof called the move “a fundamental step for the modernization and competitiveness of the province’s casinos.” He said the tender call was “based on a commitment made in conjunction with the province.”

The Institute chief said that the move would “guarantee the continuity of employees and improve their working conditions.” Atanasof said it would also help “capitalize on the tourism and entertainment potential” of all seven casinos.

Necochea Wrinkle for Province’s Plans?

However, the bidding process for the Necochea casino could yet hit a hurdle. The city’s Mayor Arturo Rojas told the media outlet Ecos Diarios that Necochea has been pursuing an outright sale.

He suggested that the tender documents may need to be modified to specify that the modernization of the Necochea casino’s gaming room and the operation of its slot machines were a key condition for the casino’s sale.

The municipal administration, Rojas said, “intends to finalize” the sale deal. The media outlet wrote that it was “clear that the new bidding process to attempt the sale of the casino property will take place in six months, once the question of who operates the slot machines has been resolved.”

The Mayor insisted that the tender call from the Province was “very important” for the city. He also said that “there are high expectations, because apparently some parties are interested [in submitting bids].”

The call comes amid wider gaming sector business expansions in the wider Latin America region.

Many companies have also expressed an interest in branching out into the markets in Colombia, Mexico, Argentina, Brazil, and Peru.

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The public opinion has revolved around underage gambling for some time now and concerns about problem gambling have surged. With that in mind, several local regulators have been moving to block websites, issue warnings or even sue influencers and celebrities for promoting illegal operations.

“In the face of the proliferation of online gambling, the investment in advertising by companies that use aggressive and attractive strategies causes or may cause people in general and young people in particular to focus their attention on this type of games and their participation becomes increasingly addictive,” the Ombudsman’s proposal stated.

“Recent studies have shown that constant exposure to these advertising campaigns increases the likelihood of developing addictive behaviours related to gambling, a condition known as cyber-gambling addiction. Adolescents, being in a stage of cognitive and emotional development even in training, are particularly susceptible to these effects.”

Gambling advertising regulation in Argentina

The proposal pushes for an all-out ban on advertising and promoting online gambling and sports betting in any media, including digital media, television, radio, print media and public spaces. In addition, sponsorships in sports would also be prohibited, especially those that attract an underage audience. Strict mechanisms will also be enforced to verify users are of legal age.

“This bill has the primary objective of preventing cyber-gambling addiction in adolescents by regulating the advertising of online gambling. International evidence shows that the implementation of restrictive policies in this area can be effective in reducing young people’s exposure to harmful content,” the proposal said.

“By adopting these measures, we not only protect the health and well-being of our adolescents, but we also promote comprehensive and healthy development, in line with the values ​​and principles that we defend as a society.”

The proposal also calls for the National Executive Branch to designate an authority to oversee the application and supervision of compliance with the law, should it be enforced. It “will have the necessary powers to inspect, audit and sanction offenders,” in addition to being in charge of promoting awareness campaigns on the risks of cyber gambling addiction, and severe sanctions will be imposed for those who fail to comply with the provisions of the law.

Operators would also have a period of six months to adapt their practices and advertising to the established provisions, once they get enforced.

“Failure to comply with the provisions of this law may be punished with a warning, fine or suspension or cancellation of the licence to operate online games and bets,” the text warns.

Article 13 invites all provinces and the City of Buenos Aires to adhere to this regulation, and, if approved, the bill has to get its regulations passed within 120 days to finally be signed into Law.

Written by Fernando Noodt, Senior Journalist, SBC Noticias

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According to SBC Noticias, Legislator Daniela Reich’s proposal covers “bingo halls and casinos, slot machine rooms, racetracks or any public area in which bets are made for money or any other means of payment”.

Reich stated: “Considering the immediate availability of money as a concrete action that encourages compulsive gambling, we propose that the prohibition be through a law, with concrete and temporary effect, so that the executive branch can comply with its effective implementation within a period of two months.”

The proposal to prohibit ATMs at casinos follows a measure taken by Governor Axel Kicillof in 2022 which enabled electronic payment methods, repealing a 2016 decision of the previous administration which removed them from gaming halls.

However, the 2022 measure was reversed by Resolution 693, which was published in the Official Gazette on April 20 that same year.

Back then, the authorities decided to “suspend the application of the scope of RESO-2022-447-GDEBA-IPLYCMJGM, signed on March 16, 2022, until the authorised Gaming Rooms in the Province of Buenos Aires resolve the operational issues involved in its implementation, based on the factual and of law set forth in the preceding recitals.”

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Through the collaboration, SkillOnNet’s spanish language PlayUZU brand will gain a content uplift for its Argentinian platform as Playtech’s portfolio of proprietary titles become available to its players. 

Jani Kontturi, Head of Games at SkillOnNet, stated: “Playtech is one of the most reputable providers of casino content in the industry and has long garnered a reputation for being a Tier One supplier.

“Our entry into Buenos Aires has massively exceeded our expectations. Our transparent and ‘player first’ approach has really appealed to players and therefore it’s important to keep offering the best games in the market and why I’m really pleased that we can now offer Playtech’s games to our Argentinian audience.”

SkillOnNet went live in Buenos Aires City last year, launching PlayUZU in the region with BuenosAiresSlots as its local licensing partner.

The operator group has outlined an aim that Playtech’s content offering will allow its PlayUZU online casino platform to go “from strength to strength” in Argentina’s igaming market. 

Diane Crookes, Senior Commercial Director at Playtech, added: “We have maintained a long-established relationship with SkillOnNet and this edition is a great endorsement of the collaborative nature of our relationship.

“We understand the importance of providing great, localised content and we are very excited to see how our games perform in Buenos Aires City and look forward to the next few months.”

While this move sees SkillOnNet enhance its Latin American casino offering, the operator recently partnered with Stakelogic to strengthen its North American position, hosting the studio’s content in Ontario.

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PlayUZU players in Argentina’s capital will gain access to Peter & Sons’ complete collection of in-house developed slot content as the studio looks to enhance its presence throughout Latin America. 

Yann Bautista, Business Development Director and Co-Founder at Peter & Sons, stated: “We’re delighted that through partnership with SkillOnNet our games get to be played by so many diverse groups of people in jurisdictions all around the world. 

“That’s what makes all the hard work worthwhile. We hope our content will be as popular in Buenos AriesCity as it has been in other jurisdictions.”

As a result of the deal, PlayUZU players will be able to spin the reels on Peter & Sons’ slots such as Barbarossa, Book of Books, Wild One, Voodoo Hex and Water Blox.

PlayUZU launched in Buenos Aires just last year after receiving a licence from the city’s regulator LOTBA, having previously built an established presence in European markets. 

Jani Kontturi, Head of Games at SkillOnNet, added: “Since its launch last year, PlayUZU is becoming hugely popular in Buenos Aires City and so it’s important that we keep expanding our offering to keep up with demand. 

“Peter & Sons is becoming a legendary game studio and is an important partner, so it’s natural they would be at the vanguard of our plans.”

The deal comes shortly after Peter & Sons worked with SkillOnNet in North America, integrating its slots into the latter’s third-party platform offering in Ontario. 

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Demonstrating a proactive approach to responsible gaming, Playtech’s updated Responsible Gambling Report details ‘essential updates and key findings’, having surveyed around 2,500 individuals across LatAm with ‘invaluable’ perspectives from Argentina, Brazil, Chile Peru and Colombia. 

The LatAm-focused report has been conducted to improve Playtech’s understanding of player behaviour and RG attitudes, as it aims ‘to better understand’ how ‘AI and machine learning models use a multi-tiered approach to analyse player behaviour’. 

This, in turn, will provide Playtech with the insights needed to understand and improve its player protection services such as Playtech Protect, as well as its AI-powered RG service BetBuddy, upholding RG practices. 

Mor Weizer, Playtech CEO, stated: “As the Latin American sports betting market experiences remarkable growth, it is crucial for our industry to seize this opportunity while prioritising player safety and security. By harnessing cutting-edge technologies, we can create a secure environment that meets the evolving needs of our customers.”

The initial study in the report explains how each country’s players define responsible gambling, as 55 per cent of surveyed Colombians selected ‘having fun while gambling online’ as a critical factor, whereas Argentina and Chile placed ‘not spending money that one cannot afford to lose’ as most critical, with 53 and 56 per cent respectively, compared to 46 per cent each for ‘having fun’. 

Meanwhile, in Brazil, being able to gamble on legal, regulated websites was seen as the most critical factor in responsible gambling, highlighting the nation’s desire for appropriate regulation as 60 per cent of Brazilians selected this option. 

Looking at the Peruvian responses, 57 per cent of respondents saw a lack of anxiety as the most significant factor in defining responsible gambling, followed by only playing ‘for a limited time each day’ in a close second with 56 per cent. 

Weizer continued: “At Playtech, we are committed to guiding markets in regulatory matters, pioneering innovative player protection technologies, and collaborating with industry peers.

“Our tireless efforts are driven by the invaluable insights gathered from our comprehensive study, enabling us to continuously enhance our tools and solutions based on the preferences expressed by individuals surveyed. 

“Together, we are shaping the future of online gambling, fostering responsible gaming practices, and delivering an exceptional experience for players throughout Latin America.”

Another study questioned the respondents on whether they considered themselves responsible gamblers, with less than three per cent of each country’s respondents believing themselves to be irresponsible. 

Additional inquiries included asking how receiving responsible gambling messages makes respondents feel, their preference in how they receive those messages and whether the messages have any impact on their playing behaviour.  

While Peru (45 per cent), Colombia (43 per cent) and Chile (42 per cent) preferred to see pop-up RG messages, Brazil detail a preference for receiving a text message over an email, with 42 and 40 per cent respectively. 

Moreover, Argentinian respondents mostly aligned with receiving an RG email, standing at 35 per cent. 

Charmaine Hogan, Head of Regulatory Affairs at Playtech, added: “Highlighting the importance of transparency in online betting is crucial for the well-being of both users and service providers, as it cultivates a sense of security within the digital environment. Government participation plays a vital role in achieving this objective, as indicated by the insights from our report. 

“Since it was first released in 2022, this report has been updated in response to the growing potential for market expansion and the increasing need to advocate for improved conditions in the industry. 

“We are responsible for approaching this opportunity with diligence and promoting regulatory measures that ensure a safe and responsible betting experience for all.”

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Powered by SkillOnNet, PlayUZU is a Spanish-language casino and the sister site of PlayOJO. The brand will position itself as a “fair” casino, PlayUZU offers “money back on every spin, wins from bonuses paid in cash, and no wagering requirements”.

With the licence, and as per regulations, the online casino has partnered with BuenosAiresSlots in order to go live in the region, offering a “truly omnichannel experience” alongside the local land-based operator. 

Helena Rico at PlayUZU stated: “This marks an important milestone for our company, and we are excited to expand our business into a new market. We are grateful for the hard work and dedication of our teams, and we are looking forward to providing our services to the people of Buenos Aires.

“BuenosAiresSlots is a recognised and respected name, and we look forward to growing the PlayUZU brand in the region and exploring opportunities together.”

BuenosAiresSlots owns three gaming halls within Buenos Aires and holds exclusive rights to operate slots and bingo in two districts.

Sergio Revilla at BuenosAiresSlots added: “We were cautious when it came to choosing an online partner, but we knew we had found the right one when we started looking at PlayUZU. It’s backed by SkillOnNet, which is one of the biggest online casino software providers globally, whose name is synonymous with quality. 

“They’re also very serious about localisation and providing a gaming experience that’s tailored to Buenos Aires City. We also liked the sense of fun and fairness of the casino, which we knew would be a hit with Porteños, as residents of this city are known.”

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