Buenos Aires advances in online gambling ad regulation
The Institute of Lotteries and Casinos of the Province of Buenos Aires (IPLyC) is working on new regulations aimed at organizing and restricting the advertising of authorized online gaming and sports betting platforms, with a special emphasis on the protection of children and adolescents.
In statements to FM Cielo radio, the president of the organization, Gonzalo Atanasof, confirmed that the provincial government is developing regulations that will establish clear criteria for the presence of legal online gaming in media outlets and social networks.
“Paying attention to how, when, and with what messages communication is made is key. You cannot say just anything or do it at any time, and gaming cannot be associated with ideas of personal success,” Atanasof said, emphasizing the need to strengthen control over the sector’s commercial communication.
Among the guidelines under consideration are the definition of authorized time slots for broadcasting advertisements, content restrictions to avoid linking gaming with economic or personal success, the prohibition of emotional appeals that encourage compulsive behavior, and specific criteria to prevent messages directed, directly or indirectly, at minors.
However, the head of IPLyC warned that regulation focused solely on legal gaming is insufficient if it is not accompanied by a stronger offensive against the clandestine market. “If advertising for official platforms is eliminated without tackling the illegal market, the problem worsens. Today, authorized licenses represent only a part of the market,” he explained.
According to Atanasof, seven official licenses currently operate in the province, concentrating around 15 percent of the activity. “If restrictions apply only to that segment, what will continue to grow is illegal gaming,” he stated.
In this context, he called for greater legal tools to combat clandestine platforms. “It is essential to toughen penalties and provide the judiciary with mechanisms that allow immediate action against those operating outside the law,” he concluded.
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