Legislators from Buenos Aires province’s ruling Fuerza Patria bloc are seeking to advance a bill establishing a comprehensive framework for online betting regulation.
The Chamber of Deputies’ Committee on Gambling, Lottery and Prevention of Problem Gambling, chaired by Micaela Olivetto, is holding an informational meeting at noon on Wednesday, October 14, to discuss the proposal.
The ruling bloc plans to seek a majority committee report at a joint session on October 19. Gonzalo Atanasof, President of provincial gaming regulator IPLyC, is expected to attend and present the regulator’s position, according to local media reports.
Olivetto and Facundo Tignanelli introduced the 64-article bill, which would require online betting operators to contribute an amount equivalent to 100% of their spending on advertising, promotion and sponsorship to a provincial fund for mental health care and the prevention of cyber gambling addiction.
The proposal also includes facial biometric verification, restrictions on advertising, a ban on bonuses and other promotional incentives, and limits on users’ access to and time spent on betting platforms. It also establishes controls and sanctions aimed at preventing minors from gambling.
Tignanelli said: “It is a fight that will be hard and it has to be fought together. They will throw everything at us.”
The presentation was attended by Martín Rozas, head of the Unión y Libertad bloc, and Gustavo Cuervo, head of the Nuevos Aires bloc. Their potential support could help the ruling bloc secure a majority report, although their backing has not been confirmed.
The proposal also creates a Specialized Prosecutor’s Office for Illegal Online Betting within the provincial Attorney General’s Office.
The ruling bloc aims to bring the bill to the Chamber of Deputies on October 20. If approved, it would still need to pass the provincial Senate to become law.
Under the proposal, 70% of the resources allocated to the mental health and cyber gambling addiction fund would be distributed among the province’s 135 municipalities, while the remaining 30% would go to the provincial Health Ministry.
The bill would create a Specialized Prosecutor’s Office for Illegal Online Betting within the provincial Attorney General’s Office
