Casinos across Argentina’s Buenos Aires province were brought to a standstill following a strike organized by the Association of National Casino Employees, demanding urgent measures to address what it describes as a wage emergency.
The industrial action included the full closure of gaming halls, the suspension of ticket payments and a mobilization in the city of Mar del Plata.
While the organizing union framed the protest as a necessary fight for salary recomposition, the strike has sparked sharp criticism from other labor groups within the sector.
The Union of Casinos, Lotteries, Agencies and Racetracks of the Province of Buenos Aires (SITACLAH) publicly questioned both the direction and effectiveness of the action, arguing that it ultimately harms workers rather than strengthens their position.
According to SITACLAH, the provincial government lacks the fiscal capacity to meet wage demands, making it contradictory to focus pressure solely on the state when much of the gaming industry’s revenue is now controlled by private operators.
Speaking to local media, Hernán Nofal, SITACLAH’s Secretary of Records, said that “closing the casino benefits online gambling. You need to stop the private machines, not shut down the provincial tables to the detriment of employees.”
Nofal described a prolonged structural crisis within land-based casinos, which he said had been deliberately fueled by the expansion of slot machines and digital platforms.
“We went from a casino with 120 roulette tables to one with 40, surrounded by machines. They wanted to kill traditional table gaming, and they’ve done it,” he said, adding that the shift has also stripped Mar del Plata of a historic tourist attraction.
Casino workers in Argentina’s Salta province have also announced protests over delayed wage payments
