Buenos Aires online gambling searches rise twelvefold since 2022, report says

Search interest in online betting houses in Buenos Aires province multiplied by 12 between 2022 and 2026, according to a report by Eunomia Consultora based on Google Trends data. The study, titled "Casino en el bolsillo: qué, cuándo y dónde se busca el juego online en la provincia de Buenos Aires", compares the January to September periods of each year. Eunomia said the indicators reflect relative search interest and do not represent numbers of users, bettors or money wagered.

In 2026, interest in betting houses was 66% higher than in 2023, despite a decline observed in 2025, according to the report. The monthly maximum of the series occurred in June 2026, during the football World Cup. For every search for "apuestas deportivas" in the province, the report recorded 10 searches for "casino online".

The report said the relationship between terms changed over time. In 2019, "tragamonedas" was searched 10 times more than "casino online"; from May 2022 the relationship reversed, and in 2026 online casino searches were five times those for slots. Searches related to casino bonuses, including terms such as "bono de bienvenida", "giros gratis" and "casino sin depósito", multiplied by six since 2023, rising from 3% of online casino queries in 2023 to 17% in 2026, after peaking at 22% in 2025.

Daily searches varied with the time of month. Between days 5 and 10, a period in which most registered salaries have been paid, searches for betting houses were 3.8% above their usual level, while between day 25 and the end of the month they were 4.1% below. Eunomia said the pattern was observed over the four years analysed, but that in 2024 and 2026 the margin of error for the rise between days 5 and 10 included zero, so the coincidence with pay dates alone does not demonstrate a causal relationship.

Major football tournaments coincided with increases in search interest. Compared with the six previous weeks, queries about betting houses rose 33% during the 2024 Copa América, 20% during the 2025 Club World Cup and 26% during the 2026 World Cup. The report said the increase during the 2024 Copa América also coincided with the Eurocopa, so it cannot be attributed to a single competition, and that in 2023, when there were no senior national team tournaments in the same period, no comparable increase was recorded.

On territorial distribution, Eunomia's index for 130 localities of the Área Metropolitana de Buenos Aires found that search interest in five authorised brands was 26% higher in the second cordón of the conurbano than in the first. The study said 11 of the 13 partidos included in the second cordón exceed the partido with the highest index in the first, and that approximately 6.6 million people live in that zone.

Seven of every 10 searches for the five main authorised brands analysed by Eunomia (Betano, Betsson, Bet365, bplay and BetWarrior) were concentrated in Betano and Betsson, the two companies that sponsor River Plate and Boca Juniors. In the January to September 2026 average, Betano accounted for 52% of searches for those five brands, Betsson for 21% and Bet365, bplay and BetWarrior together for 26%. The figures refer to share within the analysed group, not to total online gambling searches.

The report said Betano had shown an upward trend since its launch in 2024. In May 2025, when it reached the River Plate shirt, its share of searches went from 18% to 24% and continued growing until reaching 52% in September 2026. Eunomia cautioned that the timing does not allow the growth to be attributed exclusively to the sponsorship, since the brand also gave its name to the Liga Profesional between 2024 and 2025. The document added that 10 of the 30 Primera División clubs have a betting house or online casino as main sponsor.

The study also examined searches after the entry into force on 8 September 2026 of a 2% contribution on prizes from online games of immediate resolution, such as virtual slots. The measure, established by the IPLyC through Resolución 1.149/2026, excludes sports betting. In the first five weeks in force, online casino searches in Buenos Aires province fell 52% compared with the immediately preceding five weeks; that prior period, however, included a search peak that began on 10 August, before the measure was implemented. Compared with the five weeks before that peak, the Buenos Aires indicator showed an increase of 2%.

In Santa Fe, where the contribution does not apply, searches also declined in the windows analysed, though with different variations. Eunomia said the preliminary results do not allow it to confirm or rule out an effect of the measure: the fall after the peak was also observed in Santa Fe, and operators had 30 calendar days to begin withholding the contribution. The consultancy said it will continue tracking the indicator.