By ordinance, the city of Cachi decided to ban the installation of gambling machines and casinos.
Argentina.- The municipality of Cachi, in the province of Salta, approved an ordinance through which the authorities prohibited the installation of gambling machines and casinos throughout the municipal territory. The ordinance project was sent by the Executive and was unanimously approved by the Council.
According to local media, the initiative mainly arose from the concern of parents and neighbors about the potential arrival of a gambling establishment. Officials highlighted that in a population with low income and limited job opportunities, a casino could generate risks of addiction and social deterioration that would especially affect the most vulnerable sectors.
Banis Cruz, a councilor of Cachi, told the local media Hora de Voces that the goal is to prevent problem gambling but that, in the future, the regulations could be modified in line with population growth.
Regarding the situation of online betting among youth, the councilor expressed that the issue was addressed in meetings with parents and directors of educational institutions. As a result, prevention campaigns are being analyzed.
See also: Argentina: the Government of Salta launched a website to report illegal betting pages
During the last session of the Concejo Deliberante de Salta, the councilors proceeded to sanction the declaration of emergency in terms of gambling and betting in the city for a period of one year.
As explained by the councilors, the measure seeks to prevent pathological gambling through positive actions and update the local regulations related to the theme.
The text of the sanctioned Ordinance establishes, firstly, the modification of article 24 of Ordinance No. 13.777, on the Regulation of the placement of public advertising signs, referring to the general prohibitions in advertising. In this way, subsection ll is incorporated, which stipulates that advertising signs "may not incite, in any way, to gambling or betting, in any modality, to children and adolescents."
Furthermore, the implementation of positive action measures in terms of prevention of pathological gambling or gambling addiction is planned, through the different areas of the Municipality and the Concejo Deliberante of the city of Salta. On the other hand, the prohibition of access to online gambling and/or betting sites through the free Wi-Fi points of the Municipality is established. In this sense, it is established as a condition for the celebration and/or renewal of agreements with internet service providers that the procedure for blocking IP addresses of portals that promote, offer or organize gambling or online betting without the authorization of the competent municipal authority is incorporated.
