Senator Beatriz Ávila is calling out Congress for dragging its feet on youth gambling reforms. Two bills already cleared the Chamber of Deputies months ago. Now they’re stuck in Senate committees while kids keep losing money online.
The senator represents a growing chorus of lawmakers, educators, and civil groups who’ve watched underage gambling explode. She’s not asking for studies or task forces. Ávila wants votes.
“We’ve been working on this for a long time and it’s urgent that we act,” she told colleagues this week. Political theater can’t keep pushing this issue to the back burner.
Why Argentina faces a youth gambling crisis
The numbers paint an alarming picture. Gambling addiction among minors doesn’t care about zip codes or family income anymore. It’s hitting kids across every demographic.
Betting apps flood social media feeds with targeted ads. Teenagers see promotions between TikTok videos. They watch influencers celebrate big wins. The industry’s marketing machine operates 24/7 with minimal oversight.
Schools report students placing bets during lunch breaks. Parents discover unauthorized charges on credit cards. Ávila pointed to “testimonies that confirm there is a dramatic reality behind online messages that affect children and teenagers.”
Recent police action shows the problem’s scale. Federal authorities just dismantled an illegal betting ring in Buenos Aires. Nineteen arrests. Money laundering charges. The operation targeted young users specifically.
What the pending legislation would change
The first bill tackles advertising head-on. It would restrict how betting companies promote their services. Minors couldn’t be exposed to gambling ads during certain hours or on specific platforms.
The second proposal treats this as public health policy. Schools would get prevention programs about gambling addiction. Students would learn the risks before they start betting.
Both measures ban operators from targeting underage users directly. They’d face real penalties for violations, not just warnings.
Multiple civic organizations recently submitted formal requests backing these restrictions. They want hard limits on how easily minors can access betting sites. The proposals would require stronger age verification too.
How this legislation could reshape Argentina’s betting market
Operators would need to overhaul their marketing strategies completely. The easy money from young users would dry up fast. That’s exactly the point.
Committee discussions resume in coming weeks. Ávila’s pushing for immediate votes to move both bills to the Senate floor. She’s tired of watching lawmakers find excuses to delay.
If passed, Argentina would join other countries cracking down on youth gambling. The measures won’t eliminate the problem overnight. But they’d give parents, schools, and regulators actual tools to fight back.
The betting industry will resist these changes. They always do. Ávila seems ready for that fight.
