The chamber representing Buenos Aires lottery agents has opened its first owned headquarters in La Plata, marking an institutional milestone for the sector.
At the same time, officials are preparing to introduce pre-match retail sports betting at agency locations, while raising concerns over the expansion of unlicensed online gambling, particularly among minors.
Marcelo Iglesias, president of the chamber, said: "It is the home of all lottery agents, the result of savings and organised management, without the need for debt."
The body represents around 2,000 agencies and approximately 3,000 licence holders across the province, and has operated from rented premises since its founding more than 30 years ago.
On the sports betting front, officials confirmed that a system is in development and could launch in the short term. Iglesias described it as a modernised version of Argentina’s former PRODE football pools product, initially offering basic pre-match wagers on match outcomes.
Claudio Marino, secretary of the chamber, said: "The board is made up of agents working on an honorary basis. The membership fee is minimal, but it allows us to sustain the structure and move forward on strategic projects."
Both officials identified illegal online gambling as the sector’s main challenge. Marino said only seven licensed platforms operate in the province, with the remainder functioning outside the law.
Iglesias linked illegal gambling proceeds to organised crime, including drug trafficking and human trafficking networks. Both officials added that Argentina’s communications regulator ENACOM lacks autonomous powers to block unlicensed sites and that court proceedings are too slow to respond.
Marino said problem gambling risks are concentrated in digital channels rather than physical agencies, noting that minors can access unlicensed platforms via mobile devices without age verification.
La Plata, where the new headquarters is located, is the capital of Buenos Aires Province and the administrative centre of the provincial lottery system, concentrating key regulatory and institutional functions for the sector.
