What does Ms. Campagnoli's bill say?

The purpose of the project is to prevent the harmful effects of pathological online or virtual gambling. According to the deputy, it seeks to avoid the negative consequences that this activity can have on the individual, family and society as a whole.

In addition, the project establishes restrictions on the advertising of online or virtual gambling. This advertising will be subject to specific limitations in terms of its availability in the media.

If approved, the promotion of these games will be restricted on television, radio and various media platforms, whether live or pre-recorded, that are accessible through computers, mobile phones, the internet, websites, social networks and apps. The broadcasting of such advertising will only be allowed during the time slot between one and five o'clock in the morning.

Prohibitions set out in the project

The project raises a number of restrictions and prohibitions with regard to online gambling advertising. It states that advertising content must be unbiased and may not directly incite users. In addition, it prohibits the promotion of bonuses in advertising.

In terms of advertising restrictions, it is forbidden to target advertising at children under 18 years of age, as well as the participation of sportsmen, celebrities and public figures in gambling-related advertisements.

If the text is adopted, operators will also have to avoid at all costs associating gambling with personal, social or professional success, as well as comparing it with work, study or effort. The dissemination of false or misleading expectations about the chances of winning will be prevented, among other limitations.

Additionally, according to an analysis by the Argentina Casinos website, the project proposes limitations on payment methods and currencies used in online gambling. These restrictions could affect cryptocasinos, which operate mainly with electronic wallets instead of bank debit cards. The project is currently in the Chamber of Deputies, and its evolution will be closely monitored.

How is gambling regulated in Argentina?

In Argentina, the regulation of online gambling is the responsibility of the provinces, which means that each of the country's 24 jurisdictions assesses and regulates this activity in a unique way. This decentralised approach results in a diverse collection system and a constantly evolving set of rules.

The regulation of online casinos in Argentina is particularly heterogeneous, with each of the 24 provinces and the Autonomous City of Buenos Aires establishing its own regulations in this regard. In some provinces, foreign and private operators have been granted licences to offer their services within their territorial limits.

The list of provinces with at least one legal online operator includes Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires City, San Luis, Misiones, Córdoba, Entre Ríos, Río Negro, Chaco, Neuquén, Tucumán, La Pampa, Mendoza, Corrientes, Santa Cruz, Jujuy, Salta and Santa Fe. Each of these has adopted its own perspective and approach to the regulation and operation of online gambling.

A new configuration of Congress from December onwards

The October elections saw the renewal of just over half of the seats in the National Chamber of Deputies (130 out of 257) for the 2023-2027 term and one-third of the members (24 out of 72) of the national Senate for 2023-2029.

As of 10 December, Unión por la Patria will occupy the first minority position in the Senate with 32 seats, although it could reach the necessary quorum of 37 votes with the support of allied parties. On the other hand, Juntos por el Cambio will have 21 seats, while La Libertad Avanza will have eight representatives.

Javier Milei's party, La Libertad Avanza, gained strength in deputies. Unión por la Patria will remain the first minority with 108 seats, followed by Juntos por el Cambio, which will have 94 representatives, and La Libertad Avanza with 38.

None of these blocs will have a quorum on its own, which will require the three main forces to negotiate among themselves to advance legislative decisions.

In the electoral platforms that the three major parties uploaded to the electoral chamber before the PASO, there is no mention of casinos or gambling. In all three texts, the priority has to do with recovering fiscal order and boosting the economy.

Although the platforms have more to do with the executive than the legislature, we could conclude that the regulation of sports betting advertising is not an urgent priority for any of the forces. In other words, everything remains to be seen.