The former mayor of Avellaneda and a pre-candidate for Governor of Buenos Aires Province proposed a government-level technical restriction that would block online betting applications from functioning on mobile phones.
The proposal was made by Jorge Ferraresi during a meeting with young people in Chivilcoy.
Speaking at an event with party supporters and students, Ferraresi said: “Prohibition does not work. The platform simply wouldn’t load on your phone.” Rather than an outright ban, he said he envisions a measure that would prevent betting platforms from loading on mobile devices.
According to accounts shared on social media after the meeting, several students said they knew of classmates who lost a week's wages in minutes or spent money intended for food on bets.
One student said gambling also takes place during school hours and linked the behavior to the country's broader economic difficulties.
Ferraresi connected gambling to household debt and mental health problems, referencing rising suicide rates tied to financial strain among both young people and older adults who had taken on debts they could not repay. He has also proposed a school-based mental health program as part of his broader platform.
The betting app proposal was presented during a series of visits Ferraresi has made to municipalities across Buenos Aires province as he builds toward a potential gubernatorial run. He framed the gambling issue as part of a wider agenda focused on rebuilding the province's social and economic conditions.
Ferraresi served as mayor of Avellaneda and Argentina’s Minister of Territorial Development and Habitat. He is now focusing on building a provincial political project ahead of the 2027 elections
