Fuerza Suma urges Argentina’s Senate to pass anti-gambling-addiction bill

Fuerza Suma has asked the Senate of the Nation to urgently approve the bill on the prevention of gambling addiction, warning about the effects of digital betting on children, teenagers, and young people. For operators and PSPs in the vertical, the point is straightforward: the draft is not just about consumer protection, but about tighter rules on advertising, access, and platform distribution.

1. In a letter sent to all members of the upper house, Fuerza Suma called for the necessary agreements to turn the bill into law. The group said the rise of online betting is creating risks that reach beyond the bettor and affect families, income, schools, and local communities.
2. The statement was backed by figures from several sectors, including culture, economics, science, journalism, business, and trade unions. Among the members of its Junta Promotora are artist Katja Alemann, economists Noemí Brenta and Victoria Giarrizzo, journalist Alicia Barrios, businessman Osvaldo Cornide, and scientist Fernando Stefani.
3. The initiative joins a similar appeal from the Comisión Episcopal de Pastoral Social and focuses on a state response combining prevention, protection of minors, and controls over advertising and access to betting platforms. In other words: the policy discussion in Argentina is not limited to taxation or licensing; it also reaches marketing and user acquisition.
4. The bill already approved by the Chamber of Deputies on 27 November 2024 passed with 139 votes in favor, 36 against, and 59 abstentions. It includes restrictions on advertising, promotion, and sponsorship for online betting, including welcome bonuses and influencer participation, as well as a ban on access for minors under 18 and measures to prevent and address problem gambling.
5. In May 2026, the national government presented its own bill on the topic. Its proposals include blocking technical and financial resources used by illegal operators, preventing transfers from minors’ accounts to betting operators, and introducing advertising restrictions. One of the main differences between the two texts is the scope of advertising limits, which means the Senate is not just choosing whether to act, but which version of the rulebook to adopt.