Buenos Aires promotes a law to block online gambling sites in schools
The Education Committee of the Chamber of Deputies of the Province of Buenos Aires approved the merger of two bills that establish concrete measures to block access to gambling sites in schools. The initiative combines proposals from legislators Belén Malaisi (UCR + Cambio Federal) and Martín Rozas (Unión y Libertad), who agreed on the need to address the growing issue of youth gambling in educational settings.
The text proposes to amend Article 55 of the Provincial Education Law, empowering the General Directorate of Culture and Education, led by Alberto Sileoni, to implement permanent technological blocking mechanisms to prevent access to online gambling sites within school networks, both in public and private institutions.
“The problem of compulsive gambling in our schools has been increasing, and it is necessary to act firmly to limit practices that encourage gambling addiction among young people,” Malaisi emphasized during the project presentation.
A framework for responsible internet use
Deputy Martín Rozas complemented the proposal by establishing that educational institutions must require internet providers to implement filtering systems that block not only gambling sites but also content inappropriate for the educational environment, such as online gaming platforms, social networks, or adult material.
“Our goal is to ensure responsible and safe internet use in schools. It is essential that teachers, students, families, and service providers work together in implementing this regulation,” Rozas stated.
The legislator also highlighted that currently there is no unified regulatory framework in the province governing internet use in educational institutions, which creates inequalities and disparate criteria among schools. The new law seeks to standardize secure connectivity protocols and protect students from content and practices that affect their emotional and academic well-being.
Next step: debate in the full Chamber of Deputies
After its approval in committee, the unified bill will move to the floor of the Buenos Aires Chamber of Deputies for plenary consideration. There it could receive adjustments or additional inclusions before being sent to the provincial Senate for final enactment.
Meanwhile, the Buenos Aires Legislature is reviewing other complementary initiatives related to responsible gambling and addiction prevention, which include reforms to the Gambling Law, awareness campaigns, and the comprehensive regulation of the online betting market in the province.
Context and relevance
The project arises in a context where concern about minors’ access to digital betting platforms is growing throughout Latin America. According to data from the Responsible Gambling Observatory, the average age of initiation into gambling in Argentina has dropped to 16 years, driven by the easy availability of mobile apps and digital advertising.
The Province of Buenos Aires, one of the jurisdictions with the highest school density in the country, seeks with this measure to set a regulatory precedent that could be replicated by other provinces and even at the national level.
Tags: Argentina, Buenos Aires Province, online betting regulation, betting regulation schools