Racecourses, official agencies, and equine betting agencies and gaming halls across the province are included under the resolution
Gambling is the only genuine source of revenue for the racing industry. Beyond the repair fund, if the goal is to make the activity far more viable and pull it out of the near-permanent slump it has suffered for years, channeling more money through ticket windows is the solution.
In a twist befitting our familiar jargon, the Government of the Province of Buenos Aires, through the Provincial Lottery and Casino Institute, has just authorized a new method of placing bets at racecourses and their official agencies. Effective immediately, wagers can be taken using electronic means—whether through account funds or debit cards—by leveraging digital payment methods and virtual wallets, such as Mercado Pago.
Carrying the number 2025-170 and dated February 4, the resolution, signed by Gonzalo Atanasof, President of the Buenos Aires lottery, states in its considerations that "this Organization deems the implementation of the described system appropriate, as it will not only allow for better control of the digital traceability of funds but also provide bettors with a familiar and frequently used payment method, thus avoiding the risks associated with handling cash.
"It is further intended to prevent tax evasion and money laundering in gambling activities, as well as the misappropriation of social welfare benefits stemming from government plans or programs;
"Moreover, the present measure will enable more effective controls aimed at preventing gambling addiction by contributing to the implementation of greater limitations in the fight against compulsive betting."
In addition to granting authorization and empowering the Provincial Directorate of Administration and Finance along with the Legal Directorate of the Institute to jointly establish the relevant regulations for its implementation, as well as to make the necessary regulatory and administrative adjustments—whose outcomes must be communicated to interested parties within thirty (30) days of this resolution—the document also outlines certain guidelines on how and by whom electronic payment methods may be used.
Most notably, the use of cards linked to social benefit programs is expressly prohibited.
There’s no doubt that this measure will be highly useful in the ongoing effort to improve the betting system in Buenos Aires’ turf, especially as stakeholders await the finalization of an agreement with the racing industry that would introduce further tools such as online betting and the much-anticipated arrival of commingling—a point that, for now, continues to delay the deal, albeit only briefly, according to Turf Diario.
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