igamingtoday
Buenos Aires Province passes school screen law, citing minors' exposure to illegal online betting
Buenos Aires Province's Legislature has approved a law regulating phone and screen use in schools, partly to limit minors' access to illegal betting sites. The IPLyC head says illegal gambling makes up about 80% of the provincial market.
The Buenos Aires Province Legislature has passed a law regulating the use of mobile phones and screens in primary and secondary schools. The measure is intended to encourage responsible use of technology and to reduce the risk that minors reach illegal online betting platforms or develop gambling-related problems.
The bill was introduced by provincial lawmaker Martín Rozas. It applies to students aged six to 17 in both public and private institutions and is meant to help schools manage device use during class time. Schools are also expected to teach pupils about the dangers and effects of screen time and to support healthy use of technology. The text includes implementation protocols and suggestions, as well as continuous monitoring to assess results and identify possible improvements.
Rozas said problem gambling and social interaction are among the issues raised in recent years about phones in schools. He stressed that technology remains a necessary educational tool, but that excessive screen exposure harms adolescents. In his words, the bill gives adolescents a safe space and better protection within educational institutions.
The law comes amid wider concern about illegal online gambling in the province. During debate on a broader online gambling bill, Gonzalo Atanasof, head of the Provincial Lottery and Casino Institute (IPLyC), presented data to the provincial Committee on Gambling, Lotteries and the Prevention of Gambling Addiction. He said illegal gaming is believed to account for about 80% of the total market in the province, and that authorities have only a limited view of the activity, relying mainly on cyber patrols and public complaints.
Atanasof described the illegal market as financially enormous and estimated its value at USD 3.6 billion in Argentina. He compared that with an IMF operation of USD 1 billion and the National Ministry of Justice budget of USD 1.4 billion. He urged lawmakers to advance the proposed gambling legislation and asked that the regulator be involved, contributing its data and knowledge to produce an effective law for the province's population.
The school measure and the wider gambling bill address different aspects of the issue. Both reflect a shared aim of protecting minors and strengthening oversight of online activity, while regulators describe the illegal market as out of control.
Based on reporting by igamingtoday.