Brazil-style online betting ban on the agenda in Buenos Aires

Online betting regulation in Buenos Aires Province has once again become a subject of debate. Senator Federico Fagioli has prepared a bill, known as the "Lula Law", that aims to ban online sports betting and casino games across the province. The proposal seeks to completely remove the existing licensing framework in the province.

Under the proposal, sports betting, online slots, roulette, blackjack and poker would be banned. Traditional lottery and raffle games would remain permitted. Licensed companies would be prevented from accepting new deposits, and refunds of existing player balances would become mandatory. Advertising, bonuses and sponsorships would also be prohibited.

Fagioli argues that betting games accessible at any moment through smartphones remove traditional barriers. In his view, the current regulation does not adequately address this risk. Meanwhile, the provincial Chamber of Deputies is preparing a separate regulatory package that brings together 27 initiatives. This package includes tighter advertising restrictions, biometric identity checks and measures against illegal betting. The package is expected to advance by the end of the legislative year. No vote date has yet been set for Fagioli's bill.

The debate follows Brazil's decision last month to ban regulated online betting. Growing concern about minors betting is also strengthening calls for similar steps in Argentina. Tomás García Botta of the Argentine law firm MF Estudio Abogados says these proposals should be taken seriously, but that their chances of becoming law are uncertain. In his view, it is hard to see the logic of such a ban at a time when the province needs tax revenue.