Buenos Aires to retain 2% of online slots winnings
The province of Buenos Aires expects to collect between 35 and 40 billion pesos per month, equivalent to between 23 and 26.5 million dollars, with the tax withholding regime that will begin to apply to online betting winnings. The rate was set at 2% and applies exclusively to instant-resolution games, the category that includes virtual slot machines.
The announcement was made by the Minister of Government, Carlos Bianco, who specified that the withholding will apply to winnings collected on the seven platforms authorized in Buenos Aires territory, namely bet365, Betano, Betsson, Betwarrior, bPlay, Sport.bet.ar, and Stake. Each of them must submit weekly sworn declarations to verify the discount applied to the winnings.
The instrument is a resolution signed last week by the Provincial Institute of Lotteries and Casinos, presided over by Gonzalo Atanasof, and does not create a new tax but rather regulates an existing one. Article 137 of Law 15079, sanctioned at the end of 2018 during María Eugenia Vidal's administration, enables a contribution of between 1% and 3% on winnings from games whose results are known immediately after each play. What the announced decision adds is the extension of this contribution to the online modality.
The funds obtained will be channeled through the Social Progress and Inclusion Fund and will be allocated to health, education, and social development programs, in addition to reinforcing provincial policies for the prevention and assistance of problem gambling. Bianco attributed the measure to a decision by Governor Axel Kicillof.
The official took advantage of the announcement to review the work of the inter-ministerial table dedicated to addressing problem gambling. Among the ongoing actions, he mentioned a digital well-being survey answered by more than 90,000 high school students, prevention campaigns, more than 800 complaints against illegal betting sites, and biometric identification for access to legal platforms, a mechanism that, he stated, currently prevents minors from accessing the authorized offerings in the province.
The Provincial Institute of Lotteries and Casinos is the body that authorizes, regulates, and supervises gambling in the province of Buenos Aires, Argentina's most populous district. Online gambling was authorized there by Law 15079 and has since operated with a limited number of licensees, the same seven that are now subject to the withholding.
Tags: Provincial Institute of Lotteries and Casinos, Carlos Bianco, online slots prize tax, Law 15079