Buenos Aires, the capital of Argentina, has become alarmed at the frequency of minors gambling. As a result, the Executive of Buenos Aires has stopped issuing online gaming licenses, CDC Gaming Reports reported June 30.
Jorge Macri, Chief of Government of Buenos Aires, announced that the city had officially closed the registry for gaming licenses. It is also reviewing the 11 licenses now in force for the effectiveness “of age verification of gamblers in the sites’ registry.”
Macri said that parents and communities are concerned about underage gaming and bring up the topic repeatedly. He said, “We are not here to ignore these problems. “We confront them head-on, even when we don’t have all the solutions at hand. Our message is clear: not with children.”
The industry is also at the center of controversy over some bills that would restrict marketing of gambling, and other proposals to limit its growth.
The Executive took the action through the Lottery of the City of Buenos Aires (LOTBA), the authority that launched online gambling in the city four years ago. That regime allowed locally based gambling operators to have online partnerships with offshore operators.
Gaming operators will now be required to have age-verification systems, and impose self-exclusion tools as well as enable players to self exclude and limit spending.
Macri said his agency is working hard to implement identity validation tools to prevent young people from signing on. It also plans to open a group facility at a hospital for minors.
He added, “They are not alone. We will accompany them with a team of professionals prepared to assist them. This is not an easy path, but we are determined to work on it as a team: Government, schools, NGOs, clubs and families.”
