Historic Shift: Buenos Aires Racing Cleared to Offer Online and International Wagering

The official launch of TeleTurf and the opening of commingling marked a milestone for an industry aiming to break free from stagnation and position itself on the global stage

By Diego H. Mitagstein

What once seemed like a distant dream for Argentina’s Thoroughbred industry has now become a reality. In a landmark announcement made Wednesday, Gonzalo Atanasof, President of the Buenos Aires Lottery and Casino Institute, officially unveiled the launch of TeleTurf—a new online wagering platform—and the implementation of commingling, allowing for international betting integration. The announcement was made alongside Carlos Bianco, Minister of Government, and Santiago Pérez Teruel, the Province’s General Government Advisor.

For the first time, racetracks across the Buenos Aires Province will be able to accept wagers online and tap into the international market via commingling, opening new financial horizons for a racing sector that has faced years of decline. While commonplace in global racing circles, this step is a major leap forward for Argentina’s local turf community.

“The last significant shift in Argentine racing came 50 years ago, when satellite broadcasts of races were introduced to off-track betting agencies,” Atanasof said. “What we are announcing today will mark a clear before and after in the history of this industry and the five provincial racetracks. Despite a difficult economic environment, we’ve worked tirelessly with support from the provincial government to bring racing back to the top.”

Minister Bianco added: “We know that about 30% of the industry’s income comes from direct wagering, and the remaining 70% from the Repair Fund. With these new tools, we aim to reverse that equation—not by cutting the Fund, but by expanding the total pool of resources. The goal isn’t to shrink the industry, as has often been attempted, but to strengthen it.”

The Argentine breeding and racing scene has faced severe setbacks in recent years, including a 40% drop in foal crops, reduced purse structures, and a decline in the number of races—challenges compounded by rising costs. But recent momentum has helped catalyze this turnaround.

Much of that momentum can be traced back to Mariano Fragueiro, President of the Owners’ Association, who took legal action against delays in prize money disbursement by the Lottery. His efforts not only helped streamline payments but also cleared the way for long-awaited reforms such as online wagering and commingling.

“We’ve been fighting for this for years alongside different industry groups, often without much response,” said Juan Villar Urquiza, President of the Jockey Club Argentino. “Commingle will not only bring in bets from abroad—it’ll also give our horses and our racing a place on the world stage. Higher betting volumes should translate into stronger purses. The new online platform is state-of-the-art and will make wagering more accessible, despite some legal limitations we still need to navigate. We also need to keep working on expanding agencies in the provinces. But this is all incredibly positive, and it’s the first real chance we’ve had in a long time to break out of a vicious cycle and start building something virtuous.”

For Villar Urquiza, who had long advocated for such changes since the pandemic, the moment has finally arrived. And with it, a new chapter begins for the sport of kings in Argentina.