Sport Elevates, Addiction Degrades

The World Cup, a celebration for football fans and a shared historical moment for Argentines, has unfortunately attracted unwelcome guests: online betting companies. These firms are saturating advertising spaces, both on team jerseys and in public areas, to promote online gambling.

The current World Cup has seen an "inverted advertising" strategy, where the prohibition of gambling is used to spur interest, effectively incentivizing addiction. This tactic is particularly concerning as young people and minors are heavily engaged with screens during the tournament, making them prime targets.

The article strongly condemns this practice, labeling gambling addiction (ludopathy) as a serious issue with alarming rates among minors. It dismisses common justifications, such as the argument that people will gamble anyway, albeit clandestinely, or that it's a matter of personal freedom.

Citing Argentina's National Constitution, the piece argues that the systematic promotion of gambling, especially towards vulnerable audiences, is not a private action but one that harms third parties and violates public order and morality. Furthermore, it draws on Ortega y Gasset's philosophy, which posits that the playful, competitive, and heroic impulse found in sport predates political institutions and is crucial for social cohesion. Sport, as a school for civic virtues like discipline and fair competition, is being corrupted by industries that profit from compulsion rather than merit.