Argentina Chamber of Deputies approves bill to ban online betting ads

In a special session on 27 November, the Chamber passed the federal bill by 139 votes to 36. There was also 59 abstentions from the vote in Argentina.

The bill will now go to the Senate, which will take into account the views of stakeholders such as Argentinian football clubs before deciding whether to progress the bill further.

Article 8 of the bill bans advertising, promotion and sponsorship of online betting on all communication platforms. This covers online spaces including the internet and social media, and outdoor spaces such as public roads or areas.

Additionally, Article 8 prohibits online operators from sponsoring sports teams or athletes. This also includes the use of the company’s name to identify sporting venues such as stadiums or training centres. The promotion of online gambling on signage at such venues would also be banned.

Influencer advertising would be restricted, alongside “testimonials from athletes, famous people, public figures or fictional characters”.

Welcome bonuses will be banned should the bill enter into effect. On top of this, operators would be mandated to require biometric facial identification from users that can “reliably guarantee the impossibility of access by minors”.

However, Article 9 rules that advertising or promotion inside gambling halls and authorised lottery sales location will still be allowed. However, such marketing must include a cautionary section including the sentence “compulsive gambling is harmful to you and your family”.

Fears over underage betting in Argentina

Argentina has a somewhat fragmented betting regulatory framework, with provinces responsible for gambling in their territories.

However, the bill aims to protect children and adolescents from gambling harms. This will be done by introducing a more centralised framework for advertising regulation.

Deputy Mónica Frade says the objective is to provide a “national framework and for the provinces to adhere to this norm”. This will present a tool to fill the current “legal vacuum”.

The necessity of such changes was outlined by Deputy Silvana Giudici. She claimed of the 14.6 million betting platform users in Argentina, 78% use illegal sites.

“That is where we must focus, on access by biometrics so that young people cannot access, and on parental control,” Giudici said.

While the bill reaching the Senate could be seen as a move in the right direction for Argentina’s fight against excessive underage gambling, Deputy Rogello Iparraguirre believes it’s imperative this is only the first step.

“It has to be an opportunity to discuss issues that we have postponed, such as the context in which new technologies emerged and how they have impacted our lives,” Iparraguirre explained. “Gambling addiction has overwhelmed the kids, but it is a problem of society.”