The Chamber of Deputies debates the bill that regulates the advertising and promotion of online gambling and betting sites. The session opened with a solid quorum, however, the fine print of the project to be debated is still under discussion.
One of the points that generated controversy in the run-up to the session has to do with the participation of the provinces in games of chance. However, the Civic Coalition assures that by considering the issue as a “priority for health”, something indicated in the bill, the national law may remain above provincial regulations. An example of this are initiatives that regulate tobacco or environmental protection.
Among the main points of this initiative that works in “the prevention and assistance of gambling addiction.” “It prohibits minors from accessing online gambling and betting platforms,” according to article 2.
On the other hand, in the office that promoted The Civic Coalition “declares the prevention and treatment of gambling addiction a priority as a public health policy.” In this sense, it “limits the offer of online gambling” and “develops specific public policies for children and adolescents.”
One of the points that arouses the most controversy in the Lower House has to do with a series of general prohibitions that impact different sectors. This project does not allow gambling advertising in all media and events. “Welcome bonuses are prohibited as well as the sponsorship of sports teams or individual athletes”indicates article 8.
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This regulation limits different non-profit civil organizations, such as football clubs that have a large part of their income related to sports betting houses. These companies sponsor directly on the teams’ jerseys.
It also prohibits advertising “on billboards on public roads or in private spaces for public use, graphic, radio, television media, product placement or any other current or future media that, in accordance with the technological advances can be used for the same purposes.
The project being debated by the Lower House does not allow betting houses to advance with “welcome bonuses for games of chance and online betting, as well as the sponsorship of sports teams or individual athletes, use their brand or commercial name to identify a sports facility, stadiums, sports academies, recreational centers, public spaces, training centers, the promotion of sports forecasts and the placement of fixed or digital signage on playing fields and stadiums. Also its dissemination at festivals or artistic recitals. or musical and cultural events in general”.
Another paragraph of the prohibitions reaches directly to the media, since it will not allow “indirect or covert advertising in which mention is made of games of chance, predictions and sports betting and online betting through
influencers, infomercial programs and/or the publication, whether onerous or not, of testimonies from athletes, famous people, figures of public relevance or fictional characters, that mention them.”
It is also moving forward with greater controls to verify that people who place bets are over 18 years of age. Orders biometric verification with identity validation systems connected to RENAPER to prevent access to minors.
In addition, it is moving forward with the blocking of unauthorized platforms. “Judicial blocking decisions will be notified for effective compliance within 48 business hours.”
The initiative also has a series of penalties for non-compliance. The strongest involves a reform of the Criminal Legislation Code. It indicates that “Anyone who exploits, manages, operates or in any way organizes, by himself or through third parties, any modality or system for attracting games of chance and betting, will be punished with imprisonment of three (3) to eight (8) years.” , without competent jurisdictional authorization. The same penalty will apply to anyone who fails to comply with legislation on the prevention of gambling addiction and the regulation of online gambling and betting or to anyone who provides a third party with their biometric data, documents, bank details and/or any information required by the website to participate in the betting”.
On the other hand, Article 41 establishes administrative sanctions with fines of between 500 and 100,000 UVA units, which at the closing of this note are equivalent to $7,000 and $1,400,000. “If they affect minors, the fine will be increased by 50%,” the text states.
