Misiones has enacted Law II No. 42, establishing a provincial framework to protect children and adolescents from online gambling exposure, digital addiction risks and harmful online content.
The law was passed by the Chamber of Representatives on June 18 and enacted by the provincial Executive Branch through Decree No. 1156.
The measure places online gambling within a wider child digital safety policy, covering virtual platforms, social networks, video games and betting systems. It aims to reduce minors’ exposure to gambling recruitment mechanisms, compulsive device use and online practices considered harmful to child development.
Argentina’s gambling framework remains largely provincial, with local authorities responsible for licensing and regulating online and land-based gambling activity in their jurisdictions.
That structure has made provincial legislation a central route for addressing youth gambling risk, even as national lawmakers examine broader measures on illegal platforms, payments and advertising.
Misiones’ new rules prohibit gambling advertising directed at minors or distributed in environments where children and adolescents are prevalent.
The law also bans the use of influencers, children’s characters and messages linking gambling to success, social acceptance or guaranteed winnings.
Operators and advertisers must implement controls to stop campaigns reaching minors, keep campaign records and display warnings about compulsive gambling risks and support services.
The law also introduces prevention tools, including AI systems intended to detect risk patterns, addictive behavior and suspicious micro-bets in real time. It provides for a free hotline, an information website and awareness campaigns on excessive screen time, particularly for children under five.
Schools will be required to use an Intervention Protocol for High-Risk Viral Challenges.
The protocol will apply across public and private schools and include warning indicators, family communication procedures, referral routes to health teams and privacy protections for affected students.
A Provincial Fund for Prevention and Awareness of Online Gambling will finance campaigns, teacher and healthcare training, family programs, community initiatives, monitoring and enforcement tools.
The law also creates an Intersectoral Council involving public agencies, universities and specialist organizations to evaluate policy impact.
The Misiones measure follows another Argentina-focused policy proposal linking gambling revenue to public health funding. In Tierra del Fuego, legislator Matías Lapadula introduced a bill to direct revenue from gambling, online betting, tobacco and alcohol toward a permanent mental health fund.
Healthy Habits in Digital Environments Week will take place each year during the second week of February, with activities focused on responsible technology use and digital addiction prevention
