Buenos Aires Approves Electronic Licensing for Gaming Halls
The Argentine capital, Buenos Aires, will permit gaming hall managers to submit applications for licenses electronically. This follows a decree issued by the city’s regulatory body, the Buenos Aires City Lottery Board (LotBA).
The city’s regulations, approved earlier this year, initially prohibited retail betting and gaming hall operators from seeking online licenses. The concern was that this would lead to monopolistic practices by physical store proprietors.
However, after gaming hall operators contested the legality of this provision, LotBA issued a resolution lifting the prohibition. This resolution has been endorsed by the legislative branch of the Argentine capital. Nonetheless, betting shop operators will remain ineligible to operate online.
Resolution 231/20 was adopted with 27 votes in favor, 5 opposed, and 26 abstentions.
Furthermore, the city has also enacted a new set of gambling regulations designed to bolster player protection.
Under this legislation, known as Law 6331, all gaming halls are required to display a slogan that reads “Compulsive gambling is detrimental to health.” They must also prominently feature a gambling addiction support hotline and website. This signage must occupy at least 25% of the building’s exterior.
Automated teller machines cannot be situated within gambling establishments or within a two-hundred-meter radius of them. Digital payment methods are forbidden, and timepieces must be clearly visible.
To safeguard minors from being exposed to gambling promotions, these promotions must be severely limited, and the potential risks associated with gambling must be plainly conveyed.
To assist those grappling with gambling addiction issues, a city-wide voluntary exclusion register will be implemented, allowing individuals to voluntarily exclude themselves for a minimum of six months.
These new regulations will be enacted within one hundred and twenty days. This legislation is a collective outcome of measures proposed by the Economic Development Committee, the Employment Policy Committee, and the Southern Common Market (MERCOSUR).
The legislation underscores: “Addiction is not a personal issue, but a societal issue, and the government has a duty to act, commencing with crucial preventative efforts.”
Another law, 6330, put forth by Hernán Reyes, prohibits individuals convicted of operating gambling venues.
In the preceding year, Buenos Aires Province, distinct from the city, was preparing to initiate its own online gambling licensing procedure. Operators including Bet365, Betway, and Codere LatAm expressed interest in entering the market.
However, in a political shift, Maria Eugenia Vidal, the Buenos Aires Province governor who supported gambling, lost to Axel Kicillof, representing the Justice Party and the Front for Victory alliance. The future of online gambling in the province remains unclear.
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