Argentina's National Government has formally assigned responsibility for preventing and treating problem gambling to the Ministry of Health.
The change was established through a decree that amends the Ley de Ministerios. This law defines the responsibilities of National Government ministries and gives Health authority over prevention, awareness, training, research and integral treatment related to gambling addiction linked to gambling, casinos and betting.
The decree cites the Seventh National Study on Psychoactive Substance Use Among Secondary School Students in Argentina 2025, produced by the Argentinian Observatory on Drugs, which found that more than a quarter of students surveyed reported having bet money in the previous year.
The study found that betting was more common through digital platforms, with 20.5% of students reporting online betting compared with 12% who had bet through in-person channels. The decree highlights this higher prevalence of digital betting when outlining the need to strengthen prevention and treatment tools.
The new responsibilities give the Health Ministry a broader role in addressing gambling addiction, including developing prevention and awareness measures, training professionals, supporting research and providing a comprehensive approach to people affected by the disorder.
In its reasoning, the decree describes gambling addiction as a disorder recognized by the scientific and medical community, characterized by loss of control over gambling behavior, persistence of that behavior despite negative consequences and progressive effects on mental health, personal and family finances, social relationships, and educational and work performance.
The measure took effect immediately.
Argentina's national gambling advertising framework was recently updated to apply to promotions by influencers and include a reporting channel for ads that fail to display mandatory warnings
