Legislator Agustín Maspoli demanded that the government provide information on what control measures are imposed to prevent problematic adolescent gambling.
Argentina.- The president of the block of senators from Buenos Aires of the UCR + Cambio Federal, Agustín Maspoli, asked the government of Axel Kicillof to confirm if Cuenta DNI has any measures to prevent teenagers from making virtual bets with the money available in these virtual wallets.
“Cuenta DNI allows people between 13 and 17 years old to open an account autonomously, without the need for authorization from their legal representatives or parents,” warned Maspoli, while adding that it is striking that the slogan that appears on the website to promote the service indicates: “Get a free account to manage your money how and when you want, all from your cell phone”.
Specifically, the senator from Buenos Aires presented a project requesting reports in the upper chamber, led by the vice governor of the province of Buenos Aires, Verónica Magario, for Cuenta DNI, managed by Juan Cuattromo, to provide details on how the destination of the funds that minors have in these accounts is controlled.
“The lack of parental supervision can raise concerns. Parents might be unaware of their children's financial activities, including the opening of a bank account. This is especially concerning in a context where online betting has become a growing problem among young people, causing alarm in both families and educational institutions,” pointed out Maspoli.
In this regard, the senator from Buenos Aires highlighted that he found no records in Cuenta DNI of any preventive measures for child gambling addiction, but on the contrary, “it encourages minors to use their money as they wish,” which is why he considered it necessary for the authorities to disclose whether they are working on the prevention of online betting.
The initiative requests that the officials in charge of the provincial digital wallet disclose whether they plan to include or what parental control mechanisms they have and what measures are in place from the application to prevent linking with online betting platforms, as well as being aware if Banco Provincia has any role in the Comprehensive Plan to address child gambling addiction.
The proposal by legislator Maspoli is complemented by another authored by him that is expected to be discussed in the Buenos Aires Legislature. Among the dozen projects being analyzed, so far with no parliamentary progress, there is another signed by him, along with Lorena Mandagarán, which proposes that each user must present a license proving their identity each time they want to enter online betting sites.
“The social normalization of online gambling, largely driven by promotion and legalization, has generated a significant increase in its practice, particularly among young people. The structural characteristics of online betting entail a higher risk of addiction compared to traditional gambling,” Maspoli stated.
For her part, Mandagarán warned that gambling addiction in adolescents is an issue that “is becoming increasingly present.” “The initiative aims to safeguard the minors of Buenos Aires against an issue that requires urgent attention and response,” specified the senator.
It is worth mentioning that, in addition to blocking the access of minors to online betting, the initiative of Maspoli and Mandagarán stipulates that anyone who wants to participate in gambling activity must have a license containing their name, surname, DNI number, and their real address, in addition to biometric data to verify their identity each time they enter an online gaming platform
See also: Teenagers will not be able to use Banco Santander cards on online betting sites
“The registry must be connected with the database of the agencies that the Application Authority considers, in order to obtain the data and verify that the person is in conditions to register. License holders must maintain the personal information registered for 5 years once the relationship with the customer has ended. After that period, the holder may delete the information,” states Article 2 of the project.
