Provincial deputy Alicia Azanza presented in the Chamber of Deputies of Santa Fe, Argentina, a bill that completely prohibits the advertising, promotion and sponsorship of gambling and betting in the province. The proposal, filed on August 11 under file 59,689, is listed in the official system of the Legislature of Santa Fe.
The text provides for restrictions on television, radio, print media, websites, social media, apps and messaging services, in addition to reaching influencers and content creators. The measure would also prevent companies in the sector from sponsoring sports clubs, athletes, shows and events.
To implement the ban, the bill proposes changes to provincial laws 12,991, 14,235 and 14,293, which deal with gambling advertising, online betting and gambling addiction prevention. The change would replace the current model of restrictions and authorizations with a general ban on commercial advertising related to the sector.
Social media, influencers and sponsorships are covered by the ban.
The planned scope is broad. No form of gambling or betting could be advertised or promoted on television, radio, print media, the internet, social media, digital platforms, apps or messaging services.
The restriction would also include content produced by influencers and digital creators, extending the rule to formats that have gained ground with the growth of online betting.
Another point of impact for the industry would be the ban on sponsorships. Operators and brands linked to gambling and betting would be barred from associating their brands with sports clubs, athletes, shows and events.
If the proposal is approved, currently existing authorizations for advertising actions would no longer serve as an exception to the general rule.
Violations could lead to fines and temporary closure.
The bill also establishes mechanisms to stop campaigns deemed irregular.
Among the planned measures are the immediate cessation of advertising, the removal of content, the application of fines and, in cases provided for by law, the temporary closure of establishments authorized by the province.
The intention is to allow the responsible authority to stop both campaigns carried out in traditional media and content distributed through digital channels.
Prevention communications are excluded from the ban.
The proposal preserves an exception for content of an institutional, educational or preventive nature disseminated by public agencies.
Such communications may address the risks associated with gambling, publicize self-exclusion mechanisms and present assistance services for people affected by gambling addiction.
The goal is to differentiate commercial advertising from public actions aimed at prevention and harm reduction.
Azanza questions coexistence between prevention and advertising.
In the bill's rationale, Azanza argues that there is a contradiction between public policies for preventing gambling addiction and maintaining broad advertising exposure for betting.
According to the lawmaker, while the state warns of the risks related to compulsive gambling, commercial campaigns present betting mainly as a form of entertainment and reduce the visibility of its possible social, family and economic consequences.
The proposal aims to eliminate this coexistence by replacing the current system of restrictions and authorizations with a general rule of prohibition.
The bill still needs to advance in the legislative process of the Chamber of Deputies of Santa Fe. If it receives the necessary opinions in committees, it may proceed to a floor vote.
