The Health Commission of the Legislative Power began to discuss the creation of the Prevention and Awareness Program for problematic consumption of virtual games.
Argentina.- In an extraordinary meeting, the Health Commission of the Legislative Power of Chaco debated a bill to prevent and protect girls, boys, and adolescents regarding the problematic consumption of virtual gambling games in the province.
The meeting was chaired by the president of the commission, Paola Benítez, along with her peers Iván Gyoker, Ernesto Blasco, Analía Flores, Laura Bisonni, Rodrigo Ocampo, Andrea Charole, María Pia Chiachio Cavana, Carlos Salom, and Santiago Pérez Pons.
The Bill 1758/24, proposes the creation of a Prevention and Awareness Program for problematic consumption of virtual gambling and/or betting games. The aim is to protect children and adolescents, up to 18 years old, from the risks of online gaming, promoting healthy practices and preventing addiction to these, establishing measures to educate, raise awareness, and limit the access of children and adolescents to online gambling games. It also aims to provide support and treatment for those who experience problems related to virtual and gambling game addictions.
According to the proposal, “cyber gambling addiction in girls, boys, and adolescents is defined as the behavioral addiction of excessive and uncontrolled execution of online betting activities, as well as excessive participation in video games, virtual games, and online gambling. It negatively interferes with family, social, and school relationships of children and adolescents, causing significant distress and affecting important areas of their life”.
Regarding gambling games, “it refers to any online gaming activity that involves betting money or monetary value, where the outcome depends mainly on chance or luck, and not so much on the participant's skill. Players do not have significant control over the outcome and often bet money or valuable goods”.
See also: Argentina: five arrested in the province of Chaco for attempting to install an unauthorized online betting platform
The proposed law aims to “reduce access for minors under 18 years to online gaming and/or betting platforms, from the enactment of this law it will become mandatory to request biometric data, as a system of authentication and control at the time of access and/or registration to one of these platforms”. It also stipulates the prohibition of the use of virtual wallets to carry out money transactions related to virtual gambling games and other similar platforms.
Another important item of the bill is the prohibition in Chaco of advertising, promotion, and sponsorship of virtual gambling games and any other platform of this type that is directly or indirectly aimed at children and adolescents or that are intended to persuade or incite gambling in this group through any means of communication, TV, radio, social networks, and also advertising on the streets through signs, posters, banners, public transport, etc.
