Authorities in the Argentinian province of Jujuy are raising concerns about the ease with which minors, some reportedly as young as 15, are accessing illegal online betting platforms.
The warning comes as INPROJUY, the provincial regulator, continues shutting down dozens of unauthorized sites every month without being able to prevent new ones from appearing, highlighting the limits of enforcement efforts against a constantly shifting illegal market.
According to the regulator, between 40 and 50 illegal platforms are taken down each month in the province. The pattern mirrors what regulators across Argentina have encountered: operators frequently change domains or host their services abroad in order to evade enforcement.
The mechanics behind underage access reveal a structural gap between legal and illegal supply. Licensed platforms in Argentina require identity verification through national ID systems, meaning minors who cannot meet the age requirement often migrate to clandestine sites that impose no such restrictions.
Illegal operators also rely on informal payment mechanisms. In some cases, payments are delivered in cash by motorcycle couriers outside formal financial systems.
Authorities have also reported instances in which students inside schools act as intermediaries, collecting bets through messaging platforms such as Telegram or WhatsApp in exchange for a share of the losses of new players they recruit.
To address the problem, INPROJUY has convened a working group with the Ministries of Security and Education and the Public Prosecution to coordinate enforcement and prevention efforts.
Authorities are considering measures such as restricting access to illegal gambling platforms through public Wi-Fi networks and strengthening controls over unlicensed operators.
The agencies have also agreed to expand educational programs aimed at raising awareness among children and adolescents about gambling risks and excessive digital device use, as well as to explore the creation of a unified protocol for reporting clandestine gambling activity.
Studies frequently cited by regulators suggest that exposure to online betting among adolescents in Argentina is already widespread. At the same time, industry estimates indicate that between 65% and 75% of total betting activity in the country still occurs through illegal channels.
INPROJUY recently attended ALEA’s National Responsible Gambling Forum in Buenos Aires, where regulators discussed the rise of online betting among young people and the challenges posed by illegal platforms
