Pedro Busetti, President of the Defense of Consumer Users and Consumers Organization (DEUCO), has raised concerns about gambling advertising and its influence on minors during a radio interview.
He highlighted what he described as widespread deceptive marketing practices in Argentina, especially in gambling and casino advertising.
According to Busetti, online sports betting and virtual casinos are identified as a health crisis affecting hundreds of thousands of young people and children who access platforms through their own phones or their parents' devices. He characterized the issue as an addiction problem requiring immediate government intervention beyond current measures.
The consumer advocate criticized existing regulatory approaches as insufficient. Busetti said current policies merely advise influencers and athletes to include disclaimers telling minors not to gamble, while illegal betting platforms operate without proper controls in the digital space.
Busetti drew comparisons between gambling advertising on major soccer team jerseys in Argentina and Spain's La Liga, which suspended such sponsorships. He noted that Argentine clubs, along with basketball and volleyball teams, continue displaying betting company logos despite the health risks to young people and adults.
The DEUCO President called for comprehensive government action at national, provincial and municipal levels, arguing that states must prevent, prohibit and sanction illegal betting operations rather than simply providing citizens with links to report illegal agencies.
Busetti suggested the gambling industry's political financing creates conflicts of interest that impede regulation. He compared accepting gambling revenue to justify youth addiction with financing projects through drug cartels, noting that one-third of minors under 18 access sports betting and virtual casino platforms.
The consumer advocate also urged parents to monitor their children's digital activities related to gambling platforms to prevent addiction.
Pedro Busetti is a long-standing Argentinian consumer rights advocate, known for his public criticism of misleading advertising, price abuses, and regulatory gaps, particularly in utilities and mass-consumption markets
