What changes for players in Argentina in 2026: deposit tax, withholding on winnings and sign-up checks
As of September 2026, playing at an online casino with a provincial licence means a national tax withheld on deposits, 2% withheld on winnings in the Province of Buenos Aires, a child-support debtor check in Buenos Aires City and a single warning notice. What it means in money and paperwork.
Last updated: . First published
The short version
If you play at an online casino with a provincial licence from Argentina, as of September 2026 four things happen that did not happen a year ago, or happened differently:
| What | Who applies it | How much or how | Since when | |---|---|---|---| | National indirect tax on deposits | The operator withholds it and pays it to ARCA | 5% of the net deposit as a general rule; between 2.5% and 15% depending on the type of game [VERIFICAR] | In force; figures as of September 2026 | | Withholding on winnings | Operators licensed by the IPLyC (Province of Buenos Aires) | 2% of online betting winnings [VERIFICAR] | September 2026 | | Child-support debtor check | Operators licensed by LOTBA (Buenos Aires City) | Real-time check of the public register when you sign up; if you are listed, you cannot bet | September 2026 | | Single warning notice | All licensed operators, in their advertising | One provincial or Buenos Aires City notice can satisfy the national requirement (Resolución 271/2026) | August 2026 |
The figures are dated because they change: there is a bill to raise the national tax to 10%. What does not change is the principle: only an operator licensed in your province is authorised to take your bets.
1. The deposit tax: you pay it, the casino withholds it
The national indirect tax on online betting is charged on the net deposit, not on winnings. You are the taxpayer, but the licensed operator acts as withholding agent: it deducts the tax and pays it to ARCA (Argentina's federal tax agency). The general rate is 5% and ranges from 2.5% to 15% depending on the type of game [VERIFICAR rates by game type and rule]. Between January and August 2026 this tax raised 106,600 million pesos, according to ARCA [VERIFICAR figure and source].
In practice: if you deposit ARS 10,000 at the general rate, the operator withholds ARS 500 and credits you ARS 9,500 [VERIFICAR exact mechanics: whether it is deducted from the balance or charged separately]. How this looks at each operator, with screenshots from our real accounts, is being added to each review and to the guide to casinos with Mercado Pago.
Separately, the provinces charge operators 15% of gross gaming revenue under the 2026 tax law [VERIFICAR]. The operator pays it, not you, but it explains why bonuses at provincially licensed sites tend to be smaller than those at a site without a licence.
2. Province of Buenos Aires: 2% on winnings
Since September 2026, the Province of Buenos Aires withholds 2% of winnings from online betting on platforms licensed by the IPLyC (the Province of Buenos Aires lottery and casino institute) [VERIFICAR rule and calculation base]. If you win ARS 100,000 on a Buenos Aires Province platform, the operator credits you ARS 98,000. This is a separate withholding from the national deposit tax and comes on top of it.
It applies to operators licensed by the IPLyC, which use pba. subdomains [VERIFICAR]. If you live in the City,
the LOTBA-licensed platform does not apply this withholding, even if it is the same brand. Up-to-date details are on
the page for the Province of Buenos Aires.
3. Buenos Aires City: child-support debtor check at sign-up
Since September 2026, platforms licensed by LOTBA (the Buenos Aires City lottery regulator) must check the public register of child-support debtors in real time when you sign up and reject the account of anyone listed. For most people nothing visible changes: the DNI (national identity document) verification that already existed is what makes the match possible [VERIFICAR scope for accounts already open]. The rule is explained in the article on Resolución 271/2026 and the Buenos Aires City rule.
4. Advertising: one warning, not none
Resolución 271/2026 allows the notice required by the provincial or Buenos Aires City regulator to also satisfy the national requirement, if it meets the visibility, placement, duration and size rules. An ad from a licensed operator should show one clear notice. An ad with none, or an Instagram account promoting a "casino" run over WhatsApp with Mercado Pago, complies with no rule because it is licensed by nobody.
What you should do
- Sign up with your real address. The licence is valid per province and the withholding you pay depends on it.
- Deposit only what you are going to play. The national tax is withheld on the deposit, whether you play or not.
- Check your balance after depositing and after winning. The difference should be exactly the withholding in force; if not, ask via chat and keep the reply.
- Be wary of "no taxes". A site that withholds nothing is not regulated in Argentina.
- Check the licence before depositing, in two minutes: how to tell if a casino is licensed.
What is coming
A bill proposes raising the national online betting tax from 5% to 10% [VERIFICAR parliamentary status]. If it moves forward, we will update this article, the table above and the guide to taxes on casino winnings. Which operators are licensed in each province is in the casino ranking.
Sources
- iProfesional, ARCA changes the online betting tax and updates deadlines for operators: https://www.iprofesional.com/impuestos/442651-arca-cambia-el-impuesto-a-apuestas-online-y-actualiza-los-plazos-para-operadores
- Infobae, the Province of Buenos Aires government will withhold 2% of online betting winnings (7 September 2026): https://www.infobae.com/politica/2026/09/07/el-gobierno-de-kicillof-retendra-un-2-en-los-premios-de-las-apuestas-online/
- Yogonet, proposal to raise online gambling taxes to 10% (19 August 2026): https://www.yogonet.com/latinoamerica/noticias/2026/08/19/110285-argentina-proponen-subir-los-impuestos-al-juego-online-para-financiar-a-los-clubes-de-barrio
- El Cronista, growth in online betting and tax revenue after the 2026 World Cup: https://www.cronista.com/economia-politica/crecen-las-apuestas-online-en-usuarios-montos-y-recaudacion-el-salto-que-dejo-el-mundial-2026/
- Boletín Oficial, Resolución 271/2026: https://www.boletinoficial.gob.ar/detalleAviso/primera/345605/20260806
Frequently asked questions
Do I have to file a return for what I win at an online casino?
The national tax on deposits is withheld by the operator and paid to ARCA; you do not file anything for it. The withholding on winnings in the Province of Buenos Aires is also applied by the operator. How winnings are treated for income tax and what happens in your province is a separate question; we answer it in the tax guide, and if in doubt, ask an accountant.
Do I get the tax back if I withdraw without playing?
No. The national tax applies to the net deposit, not to what you win or lose, so depositing and withdrawing without playing still pays it. [VERIFICAR] That is why it makes sense to deposit only what you plan to use.
Don't unlicensed casinos charge these taxes?
An operator without a provincial licence withholds neither the national tax nor the Buenos Aires Province withholding, because it operates outside the system. That is not an advantage: it is not authorised in Argentina, answers to no Argentine regulator and leaves you nobody to complain to if it does not pay. That is why we do not recommend them.