TLDR
- Buenos Aires Senator Federico Fagioli has introduced a bill, called the “Lula Law,” to ban most online gambling in the province.
- The bill was inspired by Brazil’s ban on fixed-odds betting, issued by President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva on September 25.
- Only lotteries, quinielas and draws would remain legal online.
- Operators would have to refund all player balances, stop taking deposits and end all gambling ads.
- A rival bill from other lawmakers would tighten the rules on online gambling instead of banning it.
A senator in Argentina’s Buenos Aires Province has introduced a bill that would ban most forms of online gambling. The proposal has been nicknamed the “Lula Law.”
The name comes from Brazil. On September 25, Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva issued Provisional Measure No. 1,394/2026, which outlawed fixed-odds betting in that country.
Senator Federico Fagioli presented the Buenos Aires bill. It would repeal Chapter VIII of Provincial Law No. 15,079, the section that now regulates online gambling, and replace it with a ban.
What the Lula Law Would Ban
The bill covers online slot machines, roulette, blackjack and poker. It also covers any other game where people risk money for the chance to win money or another prize.
Only lotteries, quinielas and draws would remain authorized. This would be a major change to the province’s current licensing system.
Fagioli said the internet has changed how people gamble. Users can now place bets from anywhere using a mobile device.
“The possibility of betting from any device connected to the internet has eliminated many of the material, spatial and temporal barriers that historically separated people from physical gambling establishments,” the senator said.
He also said the current rules need to be reviewed. “The growth of these forms of gambling poses new challenges for the control and prevention tools available to the provincial government,” Fagioli said.
How the Ban Would Work
If the bill is approved, licensed operators could no longer accept new deposits or fund transfers for gambling. They would also have to block players from starting new games.
All online gambling advertising, promotions, bonuses and sponsorships would be banned in the province. This applies to both direct and indirect ads.
Operators would have to refund the full balance in every player’s account. They would also need to file individual reports with the Provincial Institute of Lotteries and Casinos.
Those reports would list account balances, pending bets and unpaid prizes. The institute is the province’s gambling authority.
The regulator would be required to identify and block websites, apps and social media profiles that offer or promote online gambling. The goal is to stop betting services from coming back after the ban.
A separate bill from lawmakers Facundo Tignanelli and Micaela Olivetto takes a different approach. It would tighten rules and prevention measures but would not ban online gambling outright.
Tignanelli has reportedly said he supports a ban. However, he believes such a measure would need to be passed at the national level.
The two proposals show a split in the province over whether online gambling should continue. Fagioli’s bill must still pass through the provincial legislative process before any of its restrictions can take effect.
