18+ · Information
Responsible Gambling
Gambling is a form of entertainment with a cost and a risk. This page explains how to keep it within limits and where to ask for help in the Province of Buenos Aires.
The basic principles
- 18+. Gambling is prohibited for anyone under 18.
- Play for entertainment only. Money set aside for gambling is the price of a session's entertainment, and it should be treated as spent from the outset.
- Do not chase losses. Raising stakes to win back what has been lost is the pattern that most often turns a contained loss into a large one.
- Set limits. On money and on time, decided before the session starts rather than during it.
- Do not use money needed for essential expenses. Rent, food, utilities, health and debts stay out of it.
- Gambling is not a source of income. No game of chance offers a positive expected return to the player.
Warning signs
There is no single indicator, but some signs come up regularly and are worth taking seriously:
- Repeatedly playing for longer, or with more money, than planned.
- Going back to play in order to recover losses.
- Hiding from people close to you how much you play or how much you lose.
- Borrowing, selling belongings or diverting money from fixed expenses in order to keep playing.
- Irritability, anxiety or sleep problems linked to gambling.
- Neglecting work, study or family responsibilities.
- Feeling unable to stop even when you want to.
If several of these sound familiar, talking to a professional is not an extreme step: it is the most direct way to regain control.
Tools available on licensed platforms
Operators licensed in the Province of Buenos Aires are required to offer user protection mechanisms. The most common are:
- Deposit limits
- A daily, weekly or monthly cap set from your profile. It is best fixed when you create the account, while the decision is a cold one.
- Session alerts
- Automatic notices after a long stretch of play, designed to interrupt extended sessions.
- Time-outs
- Suspending the account for a short period without closing it permanently.
- Self-exclusion
- Blocking access for an extended period. Licensed platforms must display this option prominently and forward the request to the provincial register.
- Account history
- Access to a full record of deposits, bets and results. Reviewing it periodically is the simplest way to see the real balance.
Self-exclusion in the Province of Buenos Aires
The Province of Buenos Aires maintains a Self-Exclusion Register created under Law 15,131. It is a voluntary, free procedure that blocks entry to gaming halls and to licensed online platforms in the province for a set period, usually two years.
The application starts through the provincial lottery and casino institute's website or in person at a gaming hall in the province, where the forms must be available by regulation. If you have any doubt about the procedure, the free line can direct you to the nearest assistance centre.
Where to get help
Compulsive Gambling Prevention and Assistance Programme
Province of Buenos Aires lottery authority. A free, confidential line staffed by specialists, available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.
0800-444-4000
The service offers support, guidance and information, and refers people to specialist assistance centres on request. There are also mutual-help groups, such as Gamblers Anonymous, and treatment through mental health professionals.
If gambling is affecting someone close to you, the same line takes calls from family members.
Protecting minors
Online gambling is prohibited for anyone under 18, and licensed platforms must verify the identity of every user. If you share a device with minors, parental control tools can block access to gambling sites: check the options in your operating system or browser, and do not save login credentials on shared equipment.
One note about this site
Wiva.pro publishes information and does not provide treatment, diagnosis or clinical advice. If you need help, the channels listed above are the ones to use.