Argentina’s Chamber of Deputies votes for ban on gambling advertising

Argentina’s ban on online gambling and sports betting advertising would cover all provinces in the country.

Argentina.- The Chamber of Deputies has voted in favour of a federal ban on online gambling and sports betting advertising. Until now each of Argentina’s 23 provinces of the federal capital of Buenos Aires have taken their own stance on gambling regulation, but the federal proposal would override provincial regulations, banning all gambling advertising and sponsorship throughout the national territory.

The bill proposing a ban on gambling advertising in Argentina was fast-tracked to the lower house for a debate yesterday. That concluded with 139 votes in favour, 36 against and 59 abstentions. It will now move to the Senate.

The text of the bill says the aim is to “prevent cyber gambling addiction in children”. It would ban gambling ads on all platforms, including TV, radio, social media, the Internet, streaming services, and gaming platforms. Advertising on billboards will also be banned as will gambling sponsorship with sports.

Gambling advertising would only be allowed in gambling halls, lottery agencies and authorised sales points. These must display warnings that state that “Compulsive gambling is harmful to your health and that of your family.”

Sports teams are likely to oppose the ban, which would affect deals such as Betsson’s sponsorship of Boca Juniors, Codere’s sponsorship of arch-rival River Plate and Stake.com’s sponsorship of the national team XI. Ads in sports venues, including LED signs would also be banned as would the use of social media influencers.

To date, there is no detail on how or when the ban could be implemented and whether a period would be granted for the conclusion of existing contracts, but these issues will now be addressed by the Senate. The Senate is also expecting feedback from Civic Committees to draw up a federal framework on gambling protections amid growing public concern about the issue of minors gambling.

Opposition parties including the Justicialisa faction Unión por la Patria, Encuentro Federal, the Civic Coalition, and left-wing groups have given support the bill. The ruling coalition, comprising President Javier Milei’s La Libertad Avanza, Pro and a section of the Unión Cívica Radical wanted to exclude sponsorship deals from the bill.

Various provinces in Argentina have developed their own regulatory frameworks for gambling. Some allow land-based casinos and some online gambling. The Pro-led government of Jorge Macri in Buenos Aires City, the federal capital territory, has suspended issuing gambling licences due to concerns about gambling among minors. The existing 11 licensees continue to operate, but the government announced a review focusing on the processes in place for age verification.

In neighbouring Buenos Aires province, UCR provincial deputy Diego Garciarena has submitted a bill that would require biometric identification for gambling products. The bill also aimed to limit gambling advertising in a bid to reduce exposure among minors. Garciarena claimed that the province, the most populous in Argentina, had seen an increase in underage gambling.