Cordoba Passes Online Gaming Regulation

On December 29, 2021, the Legislature of the Province of Cordoba passed Law No. 10,793 (the “Law”), which regulates online gaming throughout the province. The current provincial gaming regulator, Lotería de la Provincia de Córdoba SE (hereinafter, the “Regulatory Authority”), is now both the regulating authority and the agency responsible for the Law’s implementation and regulation.

The Law defines online gaming as: casino games, sports betting, lotteries and other activities to be defined by regulation in which money is put down on future and uncertain results, regardless of whether it’s based on the players’ skill levels or exclusively on luck or chance, within the Province of Córdoba, and through the following resources: a) online gaming via electronic, computer, telecommunication or other interactive means, b) gaming through electronic devices, installations, equipment or systems that allow producing, storing or transmitting documents, data and information, including open or restricted communication networks such as broadcast television, internet, landline and mobile telephone or others; and c) gaming through interactive means: those that, for their organization, execution, commercialization or exploitation, use technologies and communication channels such as the internet, telephone, radio or any other kind of electronic, computer and telecommunication resources, which serve to facilitate interactive communication either in real or deferred time.

Under the Law, an online game produces effects in the Province of Córdoba when the connection to the game and/or the placing of bets can take place in that province through the form, manner and conditions set forth in the Law’s regulation, which is pending treatment and approval. The Regulatory Authority may enter into agreements when the effects include other jurisdictions without increasing the maximum number of licenses established under the Law.

The organization and exploitation of online gaming activities with which the Law is concerned are those carried out by individuals or legal entities, whether public or private, with domicile in the Province of Cordoba and who hold an online gaming license.

Licensee eligibility requirements are a) demonstrated domicile in the Province of Córdoba; b) demonstrated technical, economic and financial solvency, under the terms established by regulation, and c) corporate purpose and/or activity directly related to the activity regulated by the Law. Alien legal entities must be incorporated in accordance with Section 118 of General Companies Law No. 19,550 and may only request a license under the modality of Temporary Union (UT) with another national legal entity, provided that the latter has a corporate shareholding of no less than fifteen percent (15%) of the former.

Licenses will be granted through National and International Public Bidding pursuant to the call for bids and the procedure to be established by regulation. Up to ten licenses will be granted; and the Regulatory Authority may extend that number by an equal amount.