Córdoba City Council is reviewing two legislative proposals aimed at restricting the presence of chance-based gaming machines in venues frequented by children and adolescents.
The debate follows a municipal order requiring businesses to remove the devices on a preventive basis, while authorities conduct a technical assessment of their software.
One proposal, backed by councilors from the Frente Cívico bloc, calls for the removal of electronic games resembling slot machines from children’s recreation areas and entertainment venues. A second initiative, introduced by Councilor Fabre, seeks to prohibit the installation of any recreational device incorporating chance mechanisms or random reward systems in public or publicly accessible spaces.
María Florencia Ponce Márquez, Director of Public Entertainment at the municipality, said a regulatory gap exists around these machines and confirmed that operators have been given 15 days to submit technical documentation.
She said: "There is a kind of grey area here. We need technical knowledge about the software of these machines.”
Elisa Cafaratti, a UCR councilor, described the issue as urgent and warned that regulatory gaps are being exploited by operators targeting young users.
Experts invited to the session expressed differing views on the effectiveness of prohibition. Liliana González, a specialist in child and adolescent clinical practice, said blanket bans may be counterproductive, particularly among teenagers, and called for broader prevention strategies focused on supervised social environments and physical activity.
Enrique Dutra, a cybersecurity specialist, said minors are increasingly exposed to gambling offers through digital channels, including QR codes in public spaces, and argued that awareness among parents and educators is key.
Marcos Ruffino, director general of addiction prevention at the municipality, said policy responses should prioritize prevention and address underlying factors linked to problematic consumption.
Both proposals remain under review pending the outcome of the technical assessment.
Córdoba is one of Argentina’s largest urban centres and has been at the forefront of local-level initiatives targeting youth exposure to gambling
