The Provincial Institute of Lotteries and Casinos of Buenos Aires (IPLyC) has extended Boldt S.A.’s operating licences for six casino properties across the region until December 2026. This buys time while the province finalises its long-awaited tender process for new concessions.

Resolution 262, published in the Official Gazette and signed by IPLyC president Gustavo Atanasof, validates the extension period from 31 December 2025, when the previous agreement expired. The authorisation covers operations at casinos in Tandil, Miramar, Mar de Ajó, Sierra de la Ventana, and two Mar del Plata properties: Hotel Hermitage (Annex III) and Hotel Sasso (Annex I).

The extension runs until 31 December 2026.

Or until new contracts take effect following the current competitive bidding process, whichever comes first.

A Turbulent History

The current arrangement stems from a convoluted procurement saga that began in March 2019. Governor María Eugenia Vidal’s administration declared tender 1/18 for the Tandil, Miramar, and Hotel Hermitage properties unsuccessful, determining that the proposals submitted failed to serve the province’s fiscal interests.

Just two months later, in May 2019, the lottery authority reached a direct agreement with Boldt to ensure continuity of operations. The arrangement required the operator to invest in reopening and upgrading the properties, particularly the Hotel Hermitage casino in Mar del Plata.

Since then, Boldt has operated under a series of extensions while the province worked to structure a new tender process. The latest resolution explicitly validates the interim period between the previous extension’s expiry and the issuance of this administrative act. Legal continuity of operations, sorted.

Boldt Leads Current Tender

While the extension provides short-term certainty, the province’s tender process continues to advance. In October 2025, IPLyC published preliminary results showing Boldt comfortably ahead in the bidding for electronic gaming machine supply, casino renovation, and related operations.

Boldt scored 79 points for its proposals covering Hotel Hermitage, Miramar, and Tandil. That’s substantially ahead of its nearest competitor, Casino de Victoria S.A., which achieved just 43.5 points for its Hotel Hermitage submission.

Despite Boldt’s strong showing, the tender remains incomplete. The extension ensures that gaming operations across these six properties continue uninterrupted regardless of how the procurement process concludes or whether it faces further delays.

Strategic Significance

The properties under Boldt’s management represent major gaming assets for Buenos Aires province. The Mar del Plata locations, in particular, serve a big coastal resort market, while the inland properties provide gaming entertainment across diverse regional markets.

The extension reflects a pragmatic approach by provincial authorities, balancing the need for competitive procurement with operational continuity. Six years after the 2019 tender was declared unsuccessful, the province appears determined to complete a thorough bidding process rather than rush to conclusions.

For Boldt, the extension provides breathing room while cementing its position as the frontrunner for long-term concessions. Whether the company ultimately secures new contracts or operates under temporary extensions, it remains the incumbent operator across a portfolio of strategically important Buenos Aires casino properties through at least the end of 2026.