TLDR
- Provincial Deputy Alejandra Lorden introduced a bill to restrict online betting advertising in Buenos Aires.
- The bill bans gambling ads within 300 meters of schools, sports facilities, and hospitals.
- Gambling ads on licensed broadcast channels would be banned from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m.
- Digital platforms would need age-filtering systems to block gambling ads from reaching minors.
- The bill also bans gambling brand logos on youth sports uniforms.
A new bill in Buenos Aires aims to limit how online betting companies advertise to the public. Provincial Deputy Alejandra Lorden introduced the proposal this week.
The bill arrives alongside the creation of a new Commission on Gambling, Lottery, and Gambling Addiction Prevention. Both efforts focus on reducing gambling exposure among young people.
Lorden said the goal is to stop advertising that links betting with social success. She said these techniques target the emotional vulnerabilities of teenagers.
Advertising Restrictions Near Schools and Hospitals
The bill would ban gambling ads on billboards, screens, and building facades within 300 meters of schools. The same rule applies near sports facilities and hospitals.
Alcohol and tobacco ads would face the same restriction. Lawmakers say the goal is to reduce how often young people see these ads in public spaces.
The bill also sets time limits for broadcast ads. Gambling advertising on provincially licensed channels would be banned from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m.
If passed, this would be one of the strongest ad-timing rules aimed at protecting minors from gambling promotion on television.
New Rules for Online Platforms
The bill also targets digital advertising. Social networks and online platforms would need to block gambling ads from reaching users under 18.
Companies would be required to build algorithmic systems to detect underage users. These systems would filter out gambling ads before they reach younger audiences.
The Buenos Aires Ministry of Health would oversee this process. The Ministry would approve which gambling ads are legal to run.
The Ministry would also handle complaints from the public. It would issue penalties for violations and run public education campaigns on gambling’s effects on youth mental health.
Youth sports sponsorships are also part of the bill. Gambling brand logos would be banned from jerseys, shorts, and other gear used in competitions involving minors.
Alcohol and tobacco brand logos would face the same ban in youth sports settings.
Together, the measures cover advertising limits, digital platform rules, and sports sponsorship restrictions. The bill also includes mental health provisions, such as a Provincial Child and Adolescent Mental Health Fund.
School-based prevention programs are part of the plan too. These would include psychosocial evaluations and training to spot signs of problem gambling behavior in students.
The bill is currently a proposal and has not yet been voted into law. Its next step would be review by provincial lawmakers in Buenos Aires.
