Buenos Aires: lawmakers propose entry fee for online betting

A bill introduced in Buenos Aires Province would require players to pay a mandatory fee to access online betting platforms.

The proposal was put forward by provincial deputy Roberto Vázquez, who is aligned with the Frente Renovador, as other lawmakers are pushing for the approval of a separate bill to regulate online casinos in the provincial legislature.

The fee would equal the value of 10 minimum bets for the type of game involved, while physical venues would charge an admission fee before entry. 

The text states that access to a gambling session covered by the law could not be free. Revenue would fund prevention, assistance, diagnosis, treatment, research and training on problem gambling, with particular attention to child gambling addiction.

Vázquez said: “The expansion of online gambling introduced a particularly relevant feature: the ability to access it immediately, permanently and from everyday devices.” 

He presented the bill as a complementary tool that turns access to gambling into a restricted, fee-based entry, adding: “The main purpose is not fiscal but preventive, introducing a concrete moment of reflection and an economic barrier before gambling begins.”

The bill also addresses how online platforms operate. It would set limits on playing time, frequency and amounts wagered, and users could choose stricter personal limits. 

Vázquez added: “Platforms must incorporate alert systems that inform users about elapsed time, amounts wagered and the evolution of their activity, as well as simple mechanisms to set limits and request assistance.” 

Users would be identified, minors barred from access and people allowed to request self-exclusion from gambling sites.

The bill also calls on the provincial administration of Axel Kicillof to maintain an updated registry of the venues, platforms and operators covered, including those responsible, their licenses and the channels authorized to collect the fee.