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A fresh legislative initiative has now been tabled in the Legislature of the province of Tucumán with the aim of combating illegal online gaming in the province, with a particular emphasis on minors. The new legislation has been put forth by a provincial legislator named Claudio Viña in response to growing concerns about minors accessing online gaming sites via smartphones.
As per the proposal, the “best interests of the child” would serve as the major concern to address the functioning of illegal platforms. A safer and more responsible digital environment is sought to be created by this bill in Tucumán regarding online gambling, which is a social risk on the digital platform.
The matter is presented in the text not only as a concern for the regulation of the internet and the state, but also as a matter involving public interest and the welfare of children.
Defining and Combating Illegal Gambling Platforms
This initiative defines how the lack of online betting offers should be dealt with. According to the quoted text: “This law seeks to prevent, detect, penalize, and block applications, platforms, and websites of online betting and games of chance which illegitimately operate in the territory of the province of Tucumán in order to assure public order, to eradicate illegal betting, to promote responsible betting, to fight fraud, and to avoid problem behavior.”
For this purpose, a clear definition is established under this proposal regarding who should be considered an illegal platform. These include “operators who lack proper authorization issued by the province; do not have legal representation in Argentina; fail to meet legal standards regarding protection of personal data; or, importantly, who ‘allow or do not prevent access by persons under 18 years of age.’”
With such parameters being provided in this bill, it aims to create a clear legal platform for enforcement agencies to act upon violators of these parameters.
Enforcement Powers and Digital Blocking Measures
The draft legislation grants broad powers to the authority of application, which would be designated by the Executive Branch of Tucumán. This body would be empowered to intervene directly in the digital environment to halt illegal activities.
According to the text, the authority would be responsible for: “Requesting the blocking of IP addresses, servers, website hosting services, payment methods, and any other measures deemed appropriate to stop illegal activity, and for this purpose must also maintain a registry of authorized platforms.”
This approach reflects a comprehensive enforcement strategy, targeting not only websites but also the technological and financial infrastructure that supports illegal gambling operations.
Citizen Reporting and Biometric Verification
Apart from the enforcement mechanisms, the bill suggests the formation of an “official, accessible, and free citizen reporting channel.” This will enable citizens to report suspicious gambling platforms or operations. This will enhance citizen participation in the control and regulation processes.
The proposition further criticizes the current methods used for age-verification processes, such as the use of tick boxes for self-verification, labelling them “clearly insufficient.” To address this challenge, biometric identity verification is proposed as a superior technology solution that can be used.
“The obligation of biometric verification on online sports betting websites indeed provides a specific tool in order to increase government control, discourage abusive behavior, and help promote a safer cyberspace in Tucumán society”, the bill asserts.
Regulatory Clarity Rather Than Prohibition
Finally, the author adds that the initiative is not intended to function solely as a preventive and revenue-raising tool. Rather, it should create a clear framework in relation to the ever-advancing technology and the growth of online betting.
On the one hand, with child protection norms, technology for enforcing these norms, as well as clear regulation, the Tucumán initiative distances itself as a whole approach to combating illicit online gambling.
Source: SBC Noticias
