Senator drafts Brazil-adjacent law for Buenos Aires

A draft bill dubbed the “Lula Law” has been tabled in Argentina to prohibit online gambling in the Province of Buenos Aires. As reported by SBC Noticias, the bill was introduced by Senator Federico Fagioli, member of the Peronist Patria Grande political party, who is trying to repeal Law No. 15,079/2018 which legalised online gambling in the province. Bearing the name of the current President of Brazil, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, the bill is similar to the infamous law that Lula passed on 25 September, fully prohibiting licensed gambling in the whole country – almost two years after he himself signed it into existence. In a similar fashion, the Fagioli bill now looks to ban online sports betting, virtual slot machines, roulette, blackjack, poker and all other forms of games that offer cash prizes. There are, however, some exceptions, such as lotteries, prize draws, and quinielas – a traditional Argentine lottery game. Behind Fagioli’s ambitions is his conviction that access to gambling has been disproportionately exacerbated by the prominence of digital platforms. “The expansion of platforms has changed the traditional characteristics of gambling,” he said. “The ability to bet from any device connected to the internet has removed many of the physical, geographical and time-related barriers that historically separated people from land-based gambling establishments.” If adopted, the law would restrict licensed gambling operators from accepting new player deposits, and would force them to facilitate refunds of all balances currently contained in player accounts. It would also ban all relevant advertising, promotions, bonuses and sponsorships within the Province of Buenos Aires. Furthermore, the local regulator, the Provincial Institute of Lotteries and Casinos, would need to issue banning orders for all websites and applications that offer gambling. Such calls are not new for the region. Two years ago, Gabriel Solano, a Legislator for the autonomous City of Buenos Aires, put forward a similar proposal to ban online gambling out of concerns that gambling among minors is rising. And while no further steps were taken to turn it into law, the 2024 proposal coupled with the latest news will certainly put local operators on edge, especially given the developments in neighbouring Brazil. SBC News has contacted some of the biggest operators in Argentina for a comment.