Argentine Senate readying for debate on advertising ban
The Argentine Senate is gearing up to discuss the bill related to gambling addiction and online betting, which received partial approval from the Chamber of Deputies in November 2024. This follows a series of delays and obstacles, largely due to the presence of multiple initiatives in the Senate that had already been assigned to various committees.
The process has now been streamlined, with a decision made to involve three commissions instead of the initially planned four or five, as reported by Infobae. This aims to minimize delays in gathering signatures for a possible ruling.
The plenary session tasked with reviewing the text will be led by the Health Commission, overseen by Senator Lucía Corpacci, although the other two commissions are still to be confirmed. Nonetheless, the senator is already in a position to convene the plenary to commence the discussions.
Local media has argued that despite this progress, the three commissions will still face significant challenges in coordinating a swift debate and drafting a proposal to present to the chamber.
In November the Chamber of Deputies voted with 139 votes in favour of a bill that prohibits advertising, promotion, and sponsorship of online gambling across various platforms, including social media, influencers, sports apparel, billboards on public roads, as well as print, radio, and television media. The bill was approved by a majority in the Chamber of Deputies, but still requires discussion, amendments, and approval in the Senate before becoming law.
Additionally, the law bans “welcome bonuses,” and forbids sponsorship of sports teams or individual athletes, as well as promotion at sporting events, concerts, and festivals. Operators of online gaming platforms will be required to implement biometric verification systems to confirm the identity and age of users, including for virtual wallet transactions.
Platforms will also be mandated to display reminders about time spent on their site, encouraging users to take breaks, along with warnings about health risks and helplines. The legislation also establishes a National Self-Exclusion Registry that allows individuals to opt out voluntarily or through family members, preventing them from accessing gambling platforms.
In addition, the legislation limits payment methods for online betting to bank debit cards and electronic or virtual wallets with funds only available in the account. Both payment methods will be subject to daily limits equivalent to the withdrawal limits set by banks or financial institutions. Credit cards and payment methods linked to accounts established at the request of social welfare programme Anses will be prohibited.
However just hours after it was approved in the House of Deputies it was revealed that President Javier Milei planned to issue a Decree of Necessity and Urgency (DNU) specifically aimed at combating child gambling addiction, with the intention of blocking the project in 2025. Furthermore, it was confirmed that Milei would veto the law should it gain Senate approval.
