Argentine gambling authorities adopt voluntary advertising code as federal reform stalls

Argentina’s provincial gambling regulators have taken matters into their own hands, rolling out a voluntary code of conduct for gambling promotions while national lawmakers remain deadlocked on sweeping federal legislation.

The Asociación de Loterías, Quinielas y Casinos Estatales de Argentina (ALEA) — representing 24 provincial authorities — unveiled its Código de Buenas Prácticas (Code of Good Practices) to set common advertising and marketing standards across both online and land-based gambling.

Ida López, President of ALEA, described the initiative as a practical framework that “regulators and licensed operators” can adopt immediately, adding that it is designed to be “incorporated into provincial regulations, licence conditions and contractual obligations” over time.

The code applies to all B2C marketing channels, including affiliates, influencers, streamers, and brand ambassadors, and extends to B2B suppliers such as technology providers and game studios. Commercial communications must clearly identify the licensed operator and issuing jurisdiction while avoiding misleading or exaggerated claims.

López stressed that gambling advertising “must be conducted in a socially responsible manner that does not promote harmful or pathological gambling behaviour” and should present gambling “solely as an entertainment activity for adults, within reasonable limits and supported by sufficient information.”

Operators and their partners are required to implement “reasonable, proportionate and verifiable measures” to prevent minors and vulnerable individuals from being exposed to gambling content, including self-excluded players.

The voluntary code arrives as Argentina enters its third year without a unified federal advertising law. A bill approved by the Chamber of Deputies would introduce nationwide restrictions on promotions, sponsorships, and celebrity endorsements, but it remains stalled in the Senate with no political party willing to bring it to a vote.

Buenos Aires City Mayor Jorge Macri has been a vocal advocate for the federal framework, criticising retail venues that allowed underage patrons to access slot machines. His administration has intensified enforcement against illegal operators and unlicensed influencer promotions while pushing for coordinated national action.

ALEA’s code also exposes a structural gap: while jurisdictions like Buenos Aires City, Buenos Aires Province, and Mendoza each run their own responsible gambling programmes and self-exclusion registers, there is no unified national database. López acknowledged the code cannot harmonise those systems but said it establishes a “common baseline” for responsible commercial communications across the regulated market.

By moving ahead of the legislature, Argentina’s provincial regulators have placed consumer protection at the centre of a voluntary standard that may shape the country’s future gambling advertising regime.