Casinos and Sports in the Same Ecosystem: How the World of Online Gambling is Changing

Argentina is accustomed to gambling, with gambling having been around for a long time, from the city’s casinos in Mar del Plata to betting on football on 1win. But over the past couple of years, the familiar landscape has begun to change rapidly. Casinos are no longer separate from sports like they used to be. Now, you can bet on a Boca Juniors match on the same platform and immediately try to catch the jackpot in a llama slot. Yes, this is a real-life example with 1Win. What’s behind this integration, how does it affect players and why is it all coming together into one ecosystem?

Historically on Opposite Sides: How Casinos and Sports Developed Separately

Before the advent of universal online platforms, the betting world was clearly divided. Casinos are roulette, slots, poker and blackjack. Bookmaker betting is sports, matches, odds and statistics. Played differently, thought differently, perceived differently too.

Casino: About Luck and Atmosphere

Online casinos came to Argentina in the early 2010s, when the first international operators aimed at the Spanish-speaking audience appeared. Back then, they were mostly sites with dozens of slots, where everything was based on chance.
The player spun the reels, hoping for luck, often without getting into the mechanics. It was more about emotion than calculation. It is important that in the casino everything happened instantly – one click, one result. It didn’t require any analysis or waiting time.

Bookmakers: About Sports and Cold Calculation

Sports betting in Argentina has always been part of the football culture. First betting shops, then simple websites with minimal graphics. The main thing is to have odds, LIVE mode and the possibility to bet on your favourite team.

Platforms like 1Win, Codere became popular precisely because of their wide lineup and in-depth analytics. There were no beautiful chips, but you could follow statistics, study the form of teams, and look for profit. Everything resembled a stock exchange, not entertainment.

Each Player Had a “Different” World

And the most interesting thing: most people chose only one way. If a person played in a casino – he may not even know how to read the odds of 1.85. And if he was betting on tennis – he hardly thought about the payout line in slots.

These were two audiences with different psychologies:

• Casino lovers were going for a quick treat;
• Bettors for a sense of control and smart play.

And for a long time, those worlds didn’t intersect. Neither in the player’s head, nor on the platforms.

Why it’s All Mixed up and Who Benefits from It

There are three reasons why sports and casinos have become parts of the same online environment:

• Keeping the user longer on the platform;
• Increase betting frequency by constantly switching between formats;
• Expanding the target audience – someone came for the match, and stayed for the superhero slot.

To give you an example: if a player used to open the 1 Win site, place a bet and leave, now he sees banners: “Try the mini-game”, “Play roulette for 5 ARS”. It works. A study published in La Nacion showed that more than 30 per cent of Argentine users who come to the platform for sports end up launching the casino section as well.

What Risks the Unified Format Brings and How to Keep Control of the Game

When casino and sports betting are combined on one platform, it seems convenient: everything at your fingertips, one account, shared bonuses. But behind the comfort is risk. The boundaries between the different formats are blurring. A player can start by analysing a match, and in a few minutes he can spin slots to pass the time. Such transitions are almost automatic and increase engagement, and with it, financial risks.

Platforms specifically design the interface to keep your attention: banners, pop-up offers, notifications – everything is designed to keep you logged in. And while it doesn’t look aggressive, it becomes increasingly difficult for the player to stop in time.

A conscious approach to the game becomes key. If you catch yourself thinking that betting is no longer enjoyable or happens “on automatic”, it is better to take a break. Operators like 1 Win work around the clock, but the emotional state is not always ready for this rhythm.

Who Makes Money from It: Cases from Argentina

Operators are actively developing multi-format solutions. In Buenos Aires, Santa Fe and Mendoza, online gambling is officially regulated and licensed operators are actively promoting the all-in-one model.

For example, 1 Win offers three destinations at once:

• Sports betting (including local championships and international leagues);
• Casino games (with live dealers and classic slots);
• Quick mini-games like crash and lucky spin.

Against a backdrop of economic pressures and limited access to international platforms, Argentines are actively using local services. According to Clarín, the number of users on legal platforms grew by more than 40 per cent in 2023.

What’s Next?

If the trend continues (and it’s going to), in a couple of years the boundaries between sports betting and gambling will disappear completely. Even now, on some sites you can place bets during a game and immediately receive casino bonuses for activity – in essence, one big, closed ecosystem is being created, where everything is aimed at retaining and monetising attention.

On the one hand, it’s convenient. Everything in one place, easy navigation, shared account. On the other hand, there are high risks of emotional burnout and unconscious spending.

Conclusion

Online gambling in Argentina has become hybridised. Casinos and sports are no longer competitors, but allies in the fight for the player’s attention. And while in the past people chose one thing over another, today they find themselves within an ecosystem where they are involved from all sides.

It’s convenient, bright and even exciting. But it’s important to remember: control is your responsibility, not 1Win’s. You are not a passive user, but a participant in the process. And it is you who decides when to press “bet” and when to close the app and go outside. Even if Boca wins.

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