According to the GSMA, more than 90% of Argentineans already use smartphones, and by the end of 2025, 5G networks will cover 38% of the country’s population, opening up virtually unlimited access to mobile gambling. In this context, it is particularly interesting to consider applications that allow you to play casino games and place bets at the same time – such as operator 1win, which combines both formats in one interface.
Development of Mobile Gamification in Argentina
Online gambling is booming in the country: the market is estimated at 1.39 billion USD by the end of 2024. Regulation remains provincial: for example, in CABA licences are issued by LOTBA for 5 years, and in the provinces of Buenos Aires and Cordoba – for 15 years. That said, around 80% of bets are still placed through offshore applications, indicating a demand that legal operators are still in the process of mastering. One of the biggest international brands, 1 win, is actively promoting a mobile version specifically for the Argentinian audience, emphasising the ease of ARS top-ups and instant registration.
Three App Formats That Combine Casino and Betting
Right now, players can choose from three principle types of mobile products:
- Native apps from global operators – such as 1win. They are distributed directly from the site as APKs or via the App Store, offer a single wallet, thousands of slots from Pragmatic Play and a line up for all Pro League matches.
- The licensed provincial aggregators are BetWarrior (CABA/Buenos Aires Province) or BPlay (Santa Fe, Mendoza). These apps are available on Google Play and App Store under local *.bet domains to comply with LOTBA requirements, and support deposits via Mercado Pago and Rapipago.
- Hybrid PWAs of land-based casinos – Casino Buenos Aires or City Centre Rosario develop progressive-web applications that do not require installation: it is enough to add an icon “to the home screen”. Functionally, they are not inferior to conventional applications, but they are updated immediately on the server, which is important for the quick release of new games.
Features That Make Gaming and Betting a Unified Experience
Most Argentinian apps have already gone far beyond just “put and spin”:
- One balance. You can move from Evolution Live Roulette to the goals market in the Boca vs River match without transfers between accounts.
- Instant Sweeper. Live odds are pulled into the slot interface; at 1win this is realised by clicking on the “Live” widget in the bottom menu.
- Local payment methods. Mercado Pago, PagoFácil, USDT cryptocurrency and even CVU transfers work in one click, with no operator fees.
- Push notifications. The BetWarrior and 1win apps send alerts about red cards or jackpots straight to your lock screen, allowing you to react in seconds .
- Personalised Bonus Showcases. BPlay shows promotions based on whether a player spends more time in Blueprint slots or on ATP tennis, increasing the relevance of offers.
In the segment of offshore, but popular among Argentinians, 1win is the leader. Its mobile part combines more than 11,000 slots, live streams and a 500% welcome bonus. The app weighs 42 MB, can be installed even on Android 5.1, and updates come about once a fortnight.
Why Users Prefer Mobile Apps to Websites
Although most operators – including 1win – offer both mobile versions of websites and full-fledged apps, it is the latter that is becoming increasingly popular with punters in Argentina. This is not only due to convenience, but also due to the range of features that websites are simply unable to provide.
Firstly, the apps work faster: slot animations and live bets are updated without delay because the data is cached on the device. At the moment of a decisive penalty or bonus round in Book of Dead, every second counts.
Secondly, the apps allow you to play without a browser. This is important if a player uses Telegram or a banking app in parallel: switching between windows takes less time, and push notifications from 1win, for example, come even when the interface is closed.
It’s also significant that only through the app you can use additional features – biometric login, offline access to betting history, dark theme and personalised recommendations based on behavioural data. Little things like this create a “familiar environment” effect, where everything is at your fingertips.
As a result, players return to the app more often than to the website. This is confirmed by statistics: sessions in apps are 60% longer than in the browser, and the return rate is 1.5-2 times higher.
Safety and Responsible Play
Argentine regulators require in-built self-exclusion tools and, for example, 1win allow you to set a daily limit in ARS or completely block your account for 180 days.
LOTBA regularly penalises for lack of 18+ warnings and for unlicensed bonuses. In addition to standard 128-bit SSL encryption, all major apps have implemented two-factor authentication, with BetWarrior using a push from Firebase and 1win using one-time codes via email. In terms of payments, Mercado Pago now requires DNI confirmation within the bank’s app, so a transfer to the casino takes an average of 12s, which is comparable to the load time of live odds.
Argentina remains one of the most promising mobile gambling markets in Latin America: high smartphone penetration, localised payment methods and growing 5G coverage create the conditions for apps like 1win to combine casino and betting in one intuitive interface.