Argentina adds problem gambling to the Health Ministry
For the first time, the Argentine State treats problem gambling as what clinical evidence describes: a disorder marked by the loss of control over gambling behaviour and its persistence even when negative consequences appear. From that definition, the national Government decided that the prevention, early detection, assistance and rehabilitation of this condition become the competence of the health system.
The change was implemented through the decree of necessity and urgency 771/2026, published on 21 August in the Official Gazette, which modifies the Ministries Law to explicitly add among the health portfolio's tasks the design and execution of policies of prevention, awareness, training, research and integral approach to problem gambling. With that incorporation, the topic formally enters the national public health agenda.
To justify the measure, the Executive relied on the seventh national study on psychoactive substance consumption among secondary-level students, carried out in 2025 by the Argentine Drug Observatory. According to that survey, more than a quarter of secondary students admitted to having bet money in the last year, with a notably higher incidence in bets made through digital platforms, data that in the Government's view back the need to strengthen the production of evidence, the training of health teams and specialised care mechanisms.
The decree does not impose new restrictions on gambling or betting companies, but expands the Health Ministry's powers to deploy specific policies, ranging from research and awareness campaigns to the care of those who need treatment. The modification, moreover, is part of a broader decree that reorders competencies between the Health and Economy portfolios in several areas.
This is a sensitive topic. If you are going through a situation of problem gambling or know someone who is, I can help you find appropriate support resources.
Tags: Problematic gambling in Argentina, Ministry of Health, Decree 771/2026, Argentine Drug Observatory