The Cámara de Diputados de la Provincia de Buenos Aires has established a new specialized body focused on gambling policy and oversight. During the first session of the legislative calendar year, presided over by lawmaker Alejandro Dichiara, deputies approved the creation of the Commission on Gambling, Lottery, and Prevention of Gambling Addiction.
The move responds to what lawmakers described as a “substantial accumulation of legislative initiatives” related to the gambling and betting industry. The new commission aims to ensure priority consideration and analysis of all initiatives concerning both land-based and online betting.
Broad Regulatory and Oversight Mandate
The commission is tasked with providing guidance on:
- Regulation, authorization, control, and supervision of gambling in all forms, including online betting and digital platforms.
- Advertising, promotion, and sponsorship related to gambling activities.
- Public policy, legislation, and agreements addressing the prevention, assistance, and treatment of problem gambling.
Lawmakers emphasized the protection of minors. They cited the need to examine the social, economic, and health consequences of gambling, with a focus on children and adolescents. This reflects growing concern over youth exposure to online betting platforms and promotional materials.
Advertising Restrictions Under Consideration
As part of legislative reforms, Buenos Aires is developing a framework to regulate advertising by online gambling platforms.
In an interview with FM Cielo, Gonzalo Atanasof, president of the Instituto Provincial de Lotería y Casinos, highlighted the importance of regulating legal platforms’ advertising, noting that:
“The legal platforms also have excessive advertising, and that generates the desire to gamble among different minors, even minors who end up falling into clandestine platforms. This is one of the issues we are working on: a regulation of advertising by legal platforms in the province of Buenos Aires.”
Currently, legal platforms represent around 15% of the market, yet they are highly visible across various media channels. The regulatory focus aims to mitigate the influence of advertising on vulnerable audiences, especially minors.
Toward Structured Gambling Governance
The creation of the commission and the push for advertising regulation reflect a more structured and preventive approach to gambling oversight in Buenos Aires. By centralizing legislative discussion and prioritizing youth protection, lawmakers aim to balance market growth with social safeguards.
As debates continue, the province’s decisions could shape broader national conversations around online betting oversight, responsible gaming, and advertising standards in Argentina.
