Buenos Aires Approves School Screen-Use Law

The Legislature of Buenos Aires Province has approved legislation to regulate mobile phone and screen use in primary and secondary schools. The measure seeks to encourage responsible technology use and reduce risks to minors, including exposure to illegal online betting platforms and gambling-related harm.

Introduced by provincial lawmaker Martín Rozas, the bill aims to establish safer digital environments for students. Rozas acknowledged that mobile phones can support teaching and learning, but said concerns about problem gambling and declining social interaction have increasingly featured in discussions about technology in schools.

Schools to Promote Responsible Technology Use

The legislation covers students aged six to 17 and provides a framework for public and private schools to manage device use during lessons. Educational institutions will also be expected to inform students about the risks and consequences of excessive screen time and encourage healthier technology habits.

The bill includes implementation guidelines, proposed protocols and ongoing monitoring to assess the effectiveness of the measures and identify potential improvements.

Following the approval, Rozas stressed that technology should remain part of classroom education, provided appropriate safeguards are in place.

“This bill provides adolescents with a safe space, so they are better protected within educational institutions. We know very well that technology is a necessary tool for the future and that students need to know how to use it, but excessive screen exposure is also harmful to adolescents,” he said.

Illegal Gambling Estimated to Represent 80% of the Market

The legislation comes amid wider concerns about the scale of illegal online gambling in Buenos Aires Province.

During discussions on a broader online gambling bill, Gonzalo Atanasof, head of the Provincial Lottery and Casino Institute (IPLyC), presented figures to the provincial Committee on Gambling, Lotteries and the Prevention of Gambling Addiction.

According to Atanasof, illegal gambling is estimated to account for approximately 80% of the province’s total market. He noted that authorities have limited visibility into these activities and largely rely on cyber patrols and complaints from the public to identify them.

IPLyC Seeks a Stronger Regulatory Framework

Atanasof described the illegal gambling market as “financially enormous” and estimated its value in Argentina at USD 3.6 billion.

To illustrate the scale of the figure, he compared it with an International Monetary Fund operation worth USD 1 billion and the National Ministry of Justice’s budget of USD 1.4 billion.

The IPLyC chief called for further progress on the proposed gambling legislation and urged the regulator to contribute its expertise and data to the process.

“We want to be involved in the discussion, to contribute with our data and knowledge in establishing the best law, one as effective as possible and useful for all of the population of Buenos Aires Province,” he said.

Although the school screen-use law and the broader online gambling proposal address different areas, both reflect concerns about protecting minors and strengthening oversight of online activity. The proposed gambling framework seeks to improve authorities’ ability to tackle a market regulators have described as “out of control”, while the school legislation focuses on device management and awareness of technology-related risks.