Argentina justice blocks over 100 illegal gambling platforms after investigation on social networks

The Specialized Prosecutor Unit for the Investigation of Cybercrime (UFEIC) of San Isidro, headed by prosecutor Alejandro Musso, ordered the blocking of 110 websites offering unauthorized casino games and bets and the seizure of ARS 250 million ($275,000). The investigation was launched based on information provided by personnel of the Cyber Patrol Division of the Argentine Federal Police (PFA).

In the ruling, Musso had requested the judge of San Isidro Esteban Rossignoli to block the online platforms under investigation through the National Communications Agency (Enacom). The magistrate granted the measure requested by the representative of the Public Prosecutor's Office (MPF) and canceled these sites, according to La Nación newspaper. The judicial sources consulted by La Nación also stated that the measure taken to block 110 sites is unprecedented in Argentina.

"None of the sites have any filters so that minors cannot access them. They are allowed to play without any restrictions. When accessing the platform they are not even identified, which shows an absolute disregard on the part of the organizers of illegal gambling," said prosecutor Musso in the report submitted to Judge Rossignoli.

"In the same way, there is an inequality of competition with legal sites that pay taxes and are duly registered and generate legitimate jobs, as opposed to others that do not comply with any of these goals," the prosecutor added.

Regarding the investigation, led by Musso and by the secretary of the UFEIC Alejandro Orlandini, cyber patrol tasks were carried out from which a user was detected in the social network Instagram with hashtags such as #casino, #casinovirtual, #juegosonline, #apuestasonline, #casinoonline, #slots promoting online games, presumably, without the corresponding authorization.

Police detectives from the PFA's Cyber Patrol Division also found other online gambling and betting websites that could be operating without complying with the legal requirements.

Upon consultation with the Association of State Lotteries, Quinielas and Casinos of Argentina (ALEA), it was confirmed that the 110 sites investigated did not have the license or authorization to operate in Argentina, as they did not have the ".bet.ar" extension.

"A separate chapter turns out to be the reliability of manipulated chance. We call it this way, since, in physical games of chance, such as a casino, chance depends on the laws that govern this matter. In the digital world, they depend absolutely on the algorithms with which the games are designed. For this, legal companies have international certifications that verify the randomness of the digital play," Musso stated in his report.

"In the cases of these illegal casinos such verification does not exist, and, therefore, in the eagerness to win more, the algorithm is managed by the criminals themselves. In short, neither the State, nor the individuals, nor any control body, verifies the manipulation of the algorithms that always allow 'the house to win', to the clear detriment of the gamblers, who are now also 'swindled'."

To illustrate the movement of money from these illegal websites, judicial sources explained to La Nación that one of the bookmakers investigated, from January to date, had an income of ARS 2,500 million (more than $2.7 million).

"This is not a measure linked to economic losses due to the lack of state taxation, but the importance lies mainly, in the opinion of the undersigned, in the lack of control by the State, which is helping create underage gambling addicts," Prosecutor Musso said.