The Chamber of Deputies of Argentina has announced the principal stakeholders/committees  in establishing a federal framework to “reduce gambling harms and eliminating pathological behaviours.”

On Wednesday, 13 November, a new “working project” will commence to establish federal protections, standards, and rights to combat gambling harms.

The project will involve input from five Argentine civic committees on “Addiction Prevention and Drug Trafficking Control, Social Action and Public Health, Communications and Information Technology, Criminal Legislation, and Families, Children, and Youth.”

These five committees are tasked with agreeing on the policies for a federal bill to be urgently voted on by the House of Representatives, aiming to supersede state laws on gambling.

Federal intervention is necessary as, in May, the executive government of Buenos Aires (BA) updated its Code of Contraventions to introduce tougher penalties on gambling operators, intended to restrict gambling to individuals over 18.

However, Jorge Macri, Chief of Government of Buenos Aires, suspended the issuance of new gambling licenses to allow for the introduction of stricter age-related regulations.

BA governors imposed these restrictions and enhanced monitoring of gambling venues following concerns raised by public health and educational authorities that 34% of minors had engaged in gambling, bypassing adult checks.

Although gambling remains regulated by the municipal/regional autonomy of Argentine provinces, a federal bill is needed to incorporate fixed measures on restricting gambling advertisements, implementing limits on payment methods, and preventing minors from engaging in gambling activities.

As reported by SBCNoticias, Mónica Frade, president of the Commission for Addiction Prevention, seeks to secure majority approval from each committee to guarantee gambling safeguards as federal law.

The Committee has pledged to review government-submitted proposals, including those endorsed by BA national deputy Maximiliano Ferraro, who called for limiting gambling-related advertisements on online platforms and use of biometric verification to prevent minors from entering gambling venues.

Deputy Ferraro emphasised the “epidemic” of compulsive gambling, particularly online, which is affecting young people and families, exacerbated by Argentina’s economic situation.

The Committees have been warned of urgency to finalise policies on gambling protections, as stakeholders aim to implement a federal framework before Argentina’s mid-term legislative elections in 2025, which will likely alter the composition of the Chamber of Deputies.

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