Social aspects: gambling addiction and control (Argentina)

1) Why the topic is important now

In 2024-2025 CABA and provincial authorities have strengthened measures to protect minors and vulnerable players: mandatory age 18 +, identity verification (KYC), responsible play tools, control of advertising and financial transactions on legal platforms. These requirements are directly emphasized on city resources.

At the same time, online coverage among young people is growing: according to the summary of the IBOPE national survey (10,000 respondents), 8.3% of the country's residents tried online rates; among 15-24 years old, the indicator reaches 12.5% ​ ​ (in AMBA - 9.1%). The report of the Moscow department also cites the structure of preferences: casino games and football are in the top.

There is also a fresh academic section: the state report (Sedronar/Ministry of Health) on games with money in a student audience describes the behavior, risks and differences between offline and online practices, recording the early age of the first experience in men and a higher proportion of "casino types" among players.

2) Key protection tools

Age and KYC. All licensed sites in CABA and the provinces are required to verify age/identity, use RG mechanics (limits, timeouts), store and protect data and meet the requirements of the local regulator (in the capital - LOTBA).

Self-exclusion.

CABA / LOTBA. An online self-exclusion application is available through the official website; the user confirms that he wants to exclude himself from all LOTBA-regulated games.

Buenos Aires Province (PBA). The Prevención y Asistencia al Juego Compulsivo program runs a free 24/7 0800-444-4000 line. Auto exclusion - voluntary, for a period of 2 years, is issued by an application in any gambling hall.

Unified National Register (in development). The ALEA Lottery Association, together with 13 jurisdictions, are discussing a unified auto-exclusion registry in 2025 that would work for all legal operators in the country.

Educational platforms. CABA has a Saber Jugar project ("Hablar es ganar") with an auto-exclusion section and addresses where you can go through the procedure in person (Casino Buenos Aires, Hipódromo de Palermo, etc.).

Help and treatment. In addition to the PBA hotline, the Ombudsman's office guide contains a list of assistance centers, as well as contacts of the Players-Anonymous communities.

3) Control of the illegal market and advertising

Lockdowns and sanctions. LOTBA regularly reports on blocking of illegal sites, fines and measures against influencers promoting unlicensed products; in parallel, there are educational campaigns.

Advertising and minors. At the level of the metropolitan government, restrictions are publicly emphasized aimed at protecting persons under 18 years of age and controlling marketing/payments from the legal sector. At the federal level, in 2025, a draft law was registered with a strict framework for online games and their advertising (discussion in the Senate).

4) What the risk data shows

Youth and betting. 12.5% of young 15-24 year olds tried online betting; by type of game, casino games (≈50%) and football (≈41%) are in the lead. In vulnerable economic strata, participation is higher.

Students and game patterns. Sedronar/Ministry of Health research records an earlier start of an offline game and a later one online; at the same time, the gender gap of the beginning of involvement is stronger in the last channel. The report also points to a high proportion of "casino types" among those who have played over the past 12 months.

5) How to recognize and mitigate risks (memo to player and family)

1. Play only on. bet. ar and make sure that your regulator is indicated in the footer (LOTBA - for CABA; lottery of your province - for regions). This means KYC, RG tools and auto-exclusion.

2. Set limits in advance. In your personal account, activate the daily/weekly limits of replenishment and time - this is basic prevention. (RG tools are a mandatory element in legal operators.)

3. If the game interferes with life, exclude yourself.

CABA: Submit the LOTBA online form.

PBA: take out an auto-exception for 2 years and call 0800-444-4000 (round the clock, free, confidential).

4. Teens and online. Have you seen interest in "fast" betting/casino games? Discuss the risks, restrict access to illegal sites, if necessary, contact the city resource Saber Jugar.

6) Trends for 2025-2027: where everything is moving

Single auto exception. ALEA's national registry initiative is the most realistic step toward unifying RG practices across provinces without breaking the license model.

More coordination against illegals. LOTBA and the provinces synchronize blockages, work with influencers and education in schools/universities.

Federal advertising frame. Debate will continue around nationwide restrictions on online marketing (including sports sponsorship and personalities in advertising).

Where to get help

PBA, 24/7: 0800-444-4000 - Game Disorder Prevention and Care Program.

CABA: Saber Jugar digital portal + personal points of submission for auto exclusion (Casino Buenos Aires, Hipódromo de Palermo, etc.).

LOTBA (CABA): Online auto-exclusion form.

ALEA materials (national level): Juego Responsible section (training, research, initiative news).

Argentina combines hard access to the legal market (18 +, KYC, RG standards) with the expansion of assistance services (hotlines, auto-exclusion, education). Statistics on youth and students confirm: with the overall growth of online, the priority remains the protection of minors, self-restraint and the fight against illegal immigrants. The next logical step is a single national auto-exclusion registry and additional coordination of advertising rules between jurisdictions.

Relevance of sources: checked on October 12, 2025 (Europe/Kyiv).