A lawmaker in Argentina's Buenos Aires Province has introduced a bill that would charge users before they enter licensed online betting platforms. Roberto Vazquez of Frente Renovador says the fee is intended as a pause before gambling and as a source of funding for prevention and treatment programmes.
The proposal would set the online charge at the value of ten minimum wagers for the relevant product, according to SBC Noticias. Physical gaming venues would also collect an entry fee. The bill does not yet impose either charge because it still requires approval through the provincial legislature.
Revenue would be reserved for diagnosis, research, treatment, education and other programmes addressing problem gambling, with particular attention to children and adolescents. The provincial government would also maintain a register of covered venues, platforms and operators, including licence and payment-collection information.
The Yogonet account of the proposal says operators would need to provide alerts showing time spent and amounts wagered. Users would be able to set stricter personal limits, request help and use simple self-exclusion tools. Identity controls intended to block underage access also form part of the plan.
The access fee would be unusual because it creates a financial barrier before a wager rather than taxing only stakes or operator revenue. Vazquez describes its main purpose as preventive rather than fiscal. The legislature is considering it alongside broader proposals to tighten online-gambling controls, so the final text and prospects for passage may change.
