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Underage online gaming is growingly problematic, therefore, Catamarca province, Argentina, held a workshop entitled “Digital Consumption and Child Gambling: Harmful Impacts and Preventive Advice” on April 28 at the Nodo Tecnológico. Experts, instructors, and legal authorities gathered for the event to investigate the effects of digital addiction in youngsters and online gambling.
One of the main presenters was esteemed criminal law expert Rodolfo Ariza Clerici, a criminal judge from Buenos Aires. His message was straightforward: “We’re not just dealing with gambling addiction anymore. We’re facing a broader range of behavioral disorders fueled by unregulated access to digital technologies.”
From Pastime to Pathological
Ariza Clerici claims that the last ten yearsespecially after the COVID-19 epidemichave seen a technological change aggravating problems with gambling. Over the past ten years, technology has changed, and the pandemic exacerbated it even further. He clarifies in an interview with El Esquiú, explaining, “There’s been a technological turnover over the last ten years, and the pandemic made it worse. It expanded access, which led to more addiction and other harmful behaviors linked to excessive tech use.”
This change has very simplified minor access to online betting sites. Many parents, according to Ariza, yet think that keeping their children at home means keeping them safe. Citing fresh kinds of crime such cyber-ludopathy and even online child exploitation, he cautioned,“The risks have invaded our homes through phones, tablets, and computers.”
Criminal Activities and Illegal Operations
Since at least 2015, Argentina has classified online betting sites without state approval as criminal enterprises. Judge Ariza said But the fast change of the Internet has posed challenges for enforcement in keeping up with it. Users may deposit money immediately on these illicit sites without any personal informationno ID checks, no monitoring, only a virtual cashier.
Ariza noted, noting the great amounts of money these portals manage and their predatory user acquisition strategies, “These portals act like organized crime groups.” Many times, when a user has debt, they are pushed to find more people on the site to meet their requirements. Noting that the primary instrument of control is debt dependency, he added, “It’s a pyramid scheme.”
Influencers and the Seduction of Risk
Worsening matters, these businesses frequently use celebrities and social media influencers to grandly portray the platforms. This strategy is especially successful in attracting youngsters and teenagers who already spend a lot of time online and who are easily influenced by peer pressure and digital marketing.
The judge warned that the cycle doesn’t stop with children. “Once a child is drawn in, their entire family can become involved—parents, siblings—all caught in a snowball effect of dependency and financial ruin.”
A Call for Prevention
Additionally emphasized in the seminar was prevention. Ariza underlined the need of public knowledge and awareness. “It’s not hard to identify a virtual casino,” he said, urging parents and teachers to be more digitally aware and proactive. To fight the acceptance of online betting among young people, he urged government agencies, schools, and civil society to work together across sectors.
Stronger regulatory action was also demanded by him to close illegal sites and punish those who support them, either by way of social media influence or through advertising.
Finally: A Legal and Social Urgency
The Catamarca project serves as a wake-up call as cyber-ludopathy tightens its hold on Argentina’s youth. For the upcoming generation’s mental health and financial security, the digital environment is now a battlefield as well as a place of pleasure.
More than ever, regulation, knowledge, and group awareness are imperative.
Source: YogoNet
