The Chamber of Deputies of the province of Catamarca granted preliminary approval to the project that creates a provincial prevention program.
Argentina.- During the 23rd ordinary session of the Chamber of Deputies of Catamarca held yesterday, Thursday, October 30, the deputies unanimously granted preliminary approval to the project aimed at creating a provincial program for the prevention and eradication of gambling in minors.
This proposal consolidated seven legislative bills with the aim of developing measures for control, prevention, and awareness about the risks of online games and betting, specifically targeting the protection of children and adolescents in the province.
One of the points of the project stipulates that online betting service providers must implement age verification to restrict access to minors. The proposal also enables the Executive to sign agreements with public and private entities, educational and sports institutions, and companies related to online gaming to develop and implement joint prevention actions.
Additionally, the provincial program of “Prevention and eradication of gambling addiction, cyber gambling addiction, and risks of online games and betting in children and adolescents” was created, with a particular focus on the educational community, parents, guardians, and students.
See also: A convention is signed to combat illegal online gambling in Catamarca
According to the local media El Esquiú, the project goes beyond access restrictions, as it prohibits any type of advertising or promotion that directly or indirectly targets minors. This includes the use of children's figures, animated characters, athletes, and influential personalities that might associate gambling with success. The use of phrases that suggest or promote gambling as synonymous with success in establishments or sports events will also not be allowed.
This project is the result of the unification of initiatives by Armando Lopez Rodriguez, Carlos Marsilli, Mónica Zalazar, Natalia Saseta, Juan Carlos Ledesma, Tiago Puente, and Alejandra Pons.
Alicia Paz (UCR), explained: “We believe it is fundamental to unify the projects, to combine criteria and thus provide Catamarca with the best regulatory framework, broad, containing, and reflecting in it each of the projects presented, all with a different vision, but all with the same interest: to protect the childhoods and adolescences of our province.”
Furthermore, she detailed that the project encompasses six titles that include measures for prevention, care and treatment, regulation of online betting platforms, and complaints.
