Biometric checks mandated for Buenos Aires online betting

Buenos Aires Province has implemented a biometric identification requirement for all licensed online betting platforms operating under the .bet.ar domain, establishing a 60-day deadline for the seven authorized operators to implement the system.

Provincial Government Minister Carlos Bianco announced the measure during a press conference, stating that the requirement forms part of broader regulatory actions targeting online gambling activity. Compliance with biometric verification will be mandatory for operators to retain their provincial licenses.

Bianco said: "Biometric verification will prevent access to platforms using family members' data. Users will be required to identify themselves and provide real-time proof of life."

The measure aims to restrict access for individuals under the age of 18 by requiring operators to deploy enhanced identity verification systems across all licensed sites. The move represents a shift away from traditional document-based age verification toward technology-driven controls.

Operators have up to 60 days to adapt their platforms and integrate the biometric system, after which implementation will become a condition for continued operation within the existing legal framework.

The announcement follows recent legal actions by Gonzalo Atanasof, President of the Buenos Aires Province Lottery, who filed complaints with specialized prosecutor units in Lomas de Zamora, La Matanza and San Isidro concerning more than 300 illegal betting websites. The filings seek to identify operators and administrators of unlicensed platforms amid suspicions of money laundering and tax evasion.

The biometric verification mandate reflects increasing regulatory scrutiny across Latin America, where authorities are adopting technology-based compliance tools to strengthen age controls and enhance accountability within online gambling markets.