San Rafael to Block Online Gambling via Wi-Fi

The Municipal Council of the city of San Rafael (Mendoza Province) approved an ordinance to block access to legal and illegal iGaming websites through free Wi-Fi in municipal facilities.

Decision by San Rafael municipal authorities

The ordinance was adopted by the city’s legislative body and applies to all spaces under municipal control that provide free internet access. These include libraries, digital access points, kindergartens, multipurpose halls, municipal offices, and other public facilities.

Under the approved rules, access to online gambling and betting websites will be prohibited in these locations, regardless of whether the platforms operate legally or illegally.

Objectives of the restrictions

Protection of children and adolescents

The initiative was proposed by municipal councilor Adrián Reche and is aimed at reducing the involvement of children and adolescents in online betting. Authorities note that younger users are the most frequent users of free municipal Wi-Fi and are particularly exposed to the risk of developing gambling addiction.

According to the project’s author, online betting has become an accessible entry point to problem gambling, as it does not require physical visits to casinos and is available from any location with internet access.

Prevention of gambling addiction

The Municipal Council emphasizes that the measure is preventive in nature and is intended to restrict access to gambling platforms in public spaces where internet services are provided by the state.

Technical implementation of the blocking

IP address blocking

The restrictions will be implemented through IP address blocking of betting websites. This technical mechanism is already used in educational institutions across the province and is considered effective in practice.

The lists of blocked resources are planned to be updated weekly to account for new websites and mirror domains.

Cooperation with the provincial regulator

The municipality will be authorized to enter into agreements with the Provincial Institute of Games and Casinos, which compiles and regularly updates lists of illegal gambling platforms. This will allow prompt updates to the blocking lists.

Scope of the ordinance

The restrictions will affect a wide range of municipal facilities, including:

libraries, kindergartens, digital centers, municipal delegations, and other institutions where residents use free Wi-Fi.

Authorities note that the measure will not require additional expenditures from the city budget and will be implemented within the existing network administration framework.

Status of the ordinance

The ordinance has already been approved by the Municipal Council and is currently awaiting the mayor’s signature. Once signed, it will enter into force and technical restrictions will be applied across all municipal internet access points.