Rosario bans gambling advertising on public roads
The Rosario City Council voted on an ordinance that affects two codes, the Advertising Code and the Coexistence Code, to eliminate any direct or covert advertising, promotion, sponsorship, or patronage of gambling and sports betting from the city's public spaces.
The scope is broad in the two important aspects. Regarding the activity, it includes bingo halls, casinos, gaming rooms, and any establishment that operates games of chance, plus platforms, websites, applications, and digital media that offer online, sports, or remote betting. Regarding the medium, it covers public transport buses, both state-owned and private, the street itself, private premises visible from or accessible from the outside, and all urban furniture, as well as screens, projections, and any other surface used for advertising.
The regulation, proposed by councilman Federico Lifschitz, also closes the side door of sponsorships. If a brand profits from operating gambling and betting, it cannot advertise to associate with sports clubs or cultural, social, or educational entities based in Rosario.
In defending the project, Lifschitz cited data from the Public Prosecutor's Office, indicating that one in four young people admits to having problems with betting, and relied on the World Health Organization to point out that problem gambling leads to anxiety, depression, and even suicides.
Tags: Rosario, Federico Lifschitz, Rosario City Council, Public Prosecutor's Office