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Officials in the city of Córdoba are putting up a fight to oppose attempts by the Argentine province of the same name to regulate online gambling.
Córdoba, one of Argentina’s larger provinces, with a population of around 3.5m, has been in the process of implementing online gambling since the provincial legislature passed legislation late last year.
Eight entities have been pre-awarded licences to operate through a recent tender process, including international operators such as Betsson, Rush Street Interactive and Betway, partnered with local gambling operators.
However, there is drama in the final mile of the marathon, as a city councillor has found an ordinance which is claimed to contradict the provincial legislation that legalised online gambling.
Councillor Juan Pablo Quinteros, an outspoken opponent of online gaming, formally requested legal action on Tuesday (November 15) to prevent the launch of online gaming in the city which accounts for more than half of the province's total population.
Ordinance 11684 reads in part: "In any place where a public event takes place, the installation and operation of casinos and games known as bingos, lotteries, lottery machines, electronic lottery, slot machines, video poker and electronic equestrian games, as well as any type of games of chance or other games that represent, for the participant or third parties, a prize susceptible of pecuniary appreciation, whatever their nature, is forbidden".
Quinteros previously questioned the mayor of the city, Martín Llaryora, demanding that the executive branch inform the Cordoba Lottery, which is charged with regulating online gambling, of the “impossibility of authorising online gambling in the city of Córdoba, by virtue of the prohibition in ordinance number 11684”.
In response, officials from the municipality conceded on Monday (November 14) that they had sent a missive to the provincial gambling regulator on October 28 recognizing the validity of Quinteros’ complaint.
The licences for the eight successful operators were meant to be formally granted on October 27, but were delayed until mid-November at the time, officials said, due to an administrative hold up.
Quinteros commented: “It is striking that despite the notification made more than two weeks ago, the lottery continues with the implementation process of the online games as if nothing happened and in complete ignorance of municipal autonomy.”
Despite challenges from the city, online gambling is expected to go live in the province imminently. How the city would then proceed remains to be seen.
