Argentina: Misiones authorities dismantle illegal social media gambling network

Authorities in Misiones, Argentina, have carried out an operation targeting an illegal online gambling network that had been operating through social media and messaging apps.

The scheme, operating in the city of Puerto Iguazú, reportedly encouraged users to create virtual casino accounts and place bets via electronic transfers and payment apps such as Mercado Pago, operating outside any provincial regulatory control.

The raids were ordered by Judge Martín Brites and executed by the Cybercrime Division, the provincial police, the Secretariat of Criminal Investigation Support (SAIC), and other law enforcement units. Officers seized mobile phones, computers, digital storage devices, and printed promotional material.

Investigators noted that some of the flyers used to promote the illegal betting service were attached to sweets, raising concerns that the organization might have been targeting minors.

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Prosecutors said the group used the prefix “red,” referring to “network,” when naming their pages and chat groups on platforms such as Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp to recruit participants and manage bets. 

The seized electronic evidence will undergo digital forensic analysis by the SAIC to trace the network’s structure, scale and financial flows.

Officials described the operation as a significant step in curbing illicit gambling in the province. The case forms part of a broader initiative by Misiones authorities to strengthen control over unlicensed gaming, and to counter the growing use of social media and payment apps for unauthorized betting activities.

Carlos Mendez

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