Another Argentinian province would ban child support debtors from gambling

A bill introduced in Chaco’s Legislature, in Argentina, seeks to ban people listed in the province’s child support debtor registry from entering casinos, bingo halls and gaming venues. 

The proposal would also restrict their access to licensed online betting platforms.

Under the proposal, casinos, bingos, agencies and other licensed establishments would have to verify a person’s registry status before allowing entry. 

If a patron appears in the ReDAM, the venue would have to block access or interrupt play and report the case to the enforcement authority. The restriction would remain in force only while the person stays registered.

Online operators would work differently: They would have to check the registry before enabling new accounts and reject anyone with a registered debt. If a user is added to the ReDAM after opening an account, the platform would have to suspend new bets and other gaming operations immediately. 

The executive branch would develop an automated query system through the agency that manages the ReDAM, in coordination with Lotería Chaqueña. The data could not be used for advertising, commercial purposes or user profiling.

The authors argue that unpaid support obligations directly affect the rights of children and adolescents. 

They stated that the measure seeks to put payments for food, housing, clothing, health, education and recreation ahead of spending on betting and games of chance. 

Other jurisdictions have already moved on similar restrictions. Entre Ríos’s Senate gave final approval to a ban on registered debtors entering casinos and gaming halls. Buenos Aires Province enacted a similar law in December 2025 for casinos, bingos and gaming halls, and Salta was among the first provinces to approve a law in 2025. 

Buenos Aires City approved a ban on online betting for registered debtors in August by a 43 to 14 vote. In Santa Fe, a similar bill awaits Senate approval after clearing the lower house.