Italy’s new legislation a concern for gambling industry

Italy’s new government’s proposed gambling bill could hurt the country’s gambling industry. The new government, which came to power in last March, has proposed a draft bill that seeks to “the elimination of gambling machines (slot machines, video lottery terminals) and strong limitations on forms of gambling with repeated bets. If the leaked draft texts are any indication, the new policy would seriously hamper the gambling business in the country.

Furthermore, the document states that it encourages “the authorisation to install slot machines only in defined places (no bars, distributors, etc.) and the increase of the minimum distance from sensitive places (schools and youth centres).”

The draft also calls for “an absolute ban on gambling advertising and sponsorships,” and urges to set the “obligation to use a personal card to prevent child risk; imposition of spending limits; tracking of suspicious cash flows.”

Italian operators are worried about what a potential legislation change like this could mean to the industry, which last year made a serious contribution to state coffers. In 2017, AWP/VLT taxes posted €6 billion out of the total €10 billion that the industry generated for the state, while €140 million came from Italian-licensed online gambling companies.

Source: focusgn.com