The Argentine government has introduced a comprehensive bill to Congress aimed at regulating online gambling and preventing gambling addiction. The legislation emphasizes the protection of children and adolescents, the control of digital betting platforms, and the restriction of unauthorized operators.

Focus on Public Health and Youth Protection

The bill, submitted to the Senate on May 25, 2026, addresses what officials describe as the “exponential increase in access to betting platforms,” especially among minors. The government highlights the growing public health concerns linked to compulsive behaviors and problematic use of digital technologies associated with gambling. According to recent figures from the Observatorio Argentino de Drogas (Sedronar), over one-quarter of secondary school students participated in monetary betting in the past year, with online modalities being the most prevalent.

The proposal aims to eradicate illegal online gambling, prevent underage participation, and establish problem gambling prevention as a national health priority. It recognizes that harmful gambling behaviors extend beyond extreme clinical cases, encompassing risky actions with social, economic, and familial consequences. The Health Ministry, through Sedronar, would coordinate prevention, awareness campaigns, public education, and professional training, alongside producing epidemiological data on gambling patterns across the country.

Financial, Advertising, and Legal Measures

The legislation would assign responsibilities to multiple state agencies. Enacom is tasked with blocking content and advertisements for unauthorized platforms, while the Central Bank would prevent financial transactions to such operators, particularly those involving minors. Financial institutions, payment providers, and virtual asset firms would be barred from servicing unlicensed gambling sites unless they implement robust age-verification systems. NIC Argentina could act swiftly to suspend, disable, or cancel domains flagged by authorities.

Advertising regulations are also central to the bill. Media companies, influencers, agencies, and digital platforms would be prohibited from promoting illegal gambling, with licensed operators facing restrictions on targeting minors or linking gambling to social, career, or economic success. Content associating gambling with alcohol or tobacco would also be forbidden.

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Penal Code Revisions

The bill proposes significant penalties for illegal gambling operations. Individuals running unauthorized betting systems could face three to six years in prison, while those providing essential financial, technological, advertising, or digital services to such platforms would be subject to two to four years of incarceration. These measures extend to crypto-based platforms and offshore operators relying on digital payments, reflecting broader international trends where event-based betting platforms are treated as gambling services.

The bill builds on ongoing federal debates over online betting regulation. It follows prior legislative efforts, including a 2024 Chamber of Deputies bill addressing gambling harms, and forms part of a coordinated approach involving provinces and the federal government to manage a rapidly expanding digital gambling market.

By addressing illegal platforms, advertising practices, financial access, and penal consequences, the Argentine government seeks to consolidate an integrated framework that combines prevention, education, regulatory enforcement, and institutional cooperation across the nation.

Source:

El Gobierno envió al Senado un proyecto integral contra la ludopatía y las apuestas online ilegales, parlamentario.com, May 25, 2026.