Buenos Aires Deputies Debate 27 Online Gambling and Harm-Prevention Bills

Argentina.- 17 September 2026 | www.zonadeazar.com The Buenos Aires Province Chamber of Deputies’ Commission on Games of Chance, Lotteries and Gambling Harm Prevention has resumed work with 27 legislative files on its agenda, as lawmakers seek consensus on a broader framework for online gambling and harm prevention.

Protecting children and teenagers from access to digital betting platforms is one of the central themes.

Second Ordinary Meeting of 2026

The specialist commission was created in February 2026 and held its inaugural session in early July.

The 16 September meeting is its second ordinary session of the year and is intended to move forward with proposals accumulated over the past two years.

More Than 50 Initiatives Submitted

More than 50 legislative initiatives relating to gambling, online betting, advertising, prevention and the protection of minors have been submitted during that period.

Twenty-seven files currently form part of the commission’s agenda.

Aim to Consolidate Proposals

One of the main objectives is to turn multiple separate initiatives into a common legislative proposal capable of advancing towards the full chamber.

The files include:

  • Bills.
  • Declarations.
  • Requests for information.

Lawmakers are seeking areas of agreement across different political groups.

Political Groups Involved

The initiatives come from representatives of several blocs, including:

  • Fuerza Patria.
  • Unión y Libertad.
  • UCR+Cambio Federal.
  • UCR-Unión Cívica Radical.
  • Nuevos Aires.
  • Coalición Cívica.

Any unified opinion will therefore require cross-party agreement.

Commission Leadership

The commission is chaired by deputy Micaela Olivetto.

Other members include Fernando Rovello, Diego Garciarena, Juan Pablo De Jesús, Marcela Basualdo, Roberto Vázquez, Lucía Iañez, Jazmín Carrizo and Fabián Luayza.

Authors to Present Proposals

Lawmakers are expected to hear from the authors of the different initiatives.

The intention is to examine the reasoning behind each proposal in greater detail and use that information to work towards a common draft.

Identity Verification

Strengthening user identification is one of the main areas under consideration.

Proposals include:

  • Mandatory registration.
  • Liveness checks.
  • Biometric validation.
  • Controls designed to prevent minors from accessing platforms.

Youth protection is central to the wider discussion.

Advertising and Promotion

Several initiatives seek tighter restrictions on betting advertising.

Areas under debate include limits on:

  • Media advertising.
  • Social-media promotion.
  • Bonuses designed to retain customers.
  • Betting sponsorship.

Proposals also include banning online slot products using designs or visual elements considered appealing to children.

Account Controls

Another group of initiatives focuses on stronger controls within digital platforms.

Measures under consideration include:

  • Automatic deposit limits.
  • Session-time limits.
  • Frequency controls.
  • Restrictions on digital wallets used by minors.

The aim is to embed preventive measures directly into gambling systems.

Schools and Digital Access

The agenda also includes proposals focused on educational environments.

Some initiatives would require betting-site IP addresses to be blocked on school networks.

The objective is to reduce access to gambling services during school hours.

Sports Clubs

Prevention campaigns within sports clubs are also being considered.

The connection between betting, sport and younger audiences has made clubs another potential setting for education and awareness programmes.

Public Health

The proposals also seek to expand support for people experiencing gambling-related problems.

Measures include:

  • 24-hour telephone assistance.
  • Expanded specialist treatment centres.
  • Prevention programmes.
  • Greater co-ordination with the public-health system.

Debate Over the New 2% Levy

The meeting also takes place amid political debate surrounding a new 2% charge introduced by the Buenos Aires Provincial Lottery and Casinos Institute for online gaming.

Opposition lawmakers have questioned the measure and requested information about how the resulting funds will be used.

That dispute forms part of the wider political context, although the commission’s 27 files cover a broader regulatory agenda.

Towards a Broader Framework

The commission’s stated objective is to move beyond fragmented consideration of individual bills.

Lawmakers are seeking a framework combining prevention, commercial regulation, technological controls, advertising rules and public-health measures.

Whether that can be achieved will depend on the level of political consensus reached.

Industry Context

The expansion of online betting in Buenos Aires Province has generated a growing number of legislative initiatives focused on minors, responsible gambling and advertising.

The provincial discussion also reflects a broader trend across Argentina, where jurisdictions are reassessing how digital gambling should be supervised.

Next Steps and Impact

The commission must now review the 27 files, hear from their authors and determine which provisions can be incorporated into a common text.

Any agreed bill would still need to progress through the remaining legislative stages before reaching the chamber for a vote.

If consensus is achieved, the resulting legislation could represent one of the broadest provincial reforms to date covering online betting, gambling-harm prevention and the protection of minors.

Editó: @fonta

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