A bill for online betting was recently passed by the Chamber of Deputies in the province of Mendoza, Argentina, recently. From now on, the agenda seeks approval in the Senate.
Initially, article six of the project stated that the bidding would be established by new regulations. But in recent days, lawmakers have changed the measure to give priority to land-based casino operators, taking into account that they have not been able to function in recent months due to the pandemic.
“Companies that already have a licensed casino in Mendoza will have priority [when granting online licenses] because they have been closed since March and still have no opening date. If we open a competitive process, we will be making things even more difficult ”, pointed out deputy Josefina Canale, former president of the Provincial Institute of Games and Casinos (IPJyC).
She added: “The law will create a unique register of players who will go through information checks and the Institute will grant up to seven licenses. These funds will help the Institute to configure intelligence and data protection servers ”.
Online Betting Project foresees ‘Autoexcluded’ Register
According to SBC Notícias, the Senate will have the final decision on the new law. However, opponents stressed that “each house will have a casino” and that “this project presents a danger of increasing gambling addiction”, according to Congresswoman Mercedes Llano.
In contrast, the current president of IPJyC, Ida López, stated that “online betting already exists in the world, in the country and in the province”.
According to the Los Andes vehicle: “The regulation will prevent bets from those who are registered in the Single Registry of Self-Excluded in the Province of Mendoza and will also give people the possibility to exclude themselves and limit themselves”.
“There will be a strong impact on the advertising side, as the parameters of responsible gaming must be considered and they need authorization from the Institute. The same applies to bonuses, the objective is to avoid problems with the game ”.
The bill offers a bid for a concession between two and even licenses. And the responsibility for vetoing all platforms in the country and abroad that provide irregular services will rest with the National Communications Entity (ENACOM).
In addition, companies wishing to work with online betting in Mendoza must have a local address and portals ending with an “AR” domain. The application deadline should start as soon as the Senate approves the bill.
