Ban in the offing for gambling ads in Italy

Movimento 5 Stelle, the party which won the most number seats at the last Italian election and a powerful member of the Italian coalition government, has proposed to ban the gambling advertising during Italian league football matches as part of the so-called “decree of dignity.”

In an immediate and sharp reaction, Genoa President Enrico Preziosi termed the proposal as “madness.”

At present, no club in the Serie A, the top division of Italian club football league, has a gambling company as its main sponsor. Overall, only 2 per cent of sponsorship deals is with gambling companies – compared to 8 per cent in England. Still, the proposals would have a knock-on effect on football.

 “It’s madness,” Preziosi fumed, speaking to reporters after the proposal was outlined.

“Is this about reducing addiction? This would only encourage betting abroad, as well as getting around it illegally.”

“It’s a senseless and populist proposal that would hurt a system like football, which already struggles to stand on its own two feet. It would be a blow, and wouldn’t even solve the problem you’re trying to address.”

“Do you think people quit smoking after the slogans about the risks of smoking appeared on the packages? Nothing has changed.”

“Usually prohibition does nothing but fuel certain practises even more. I’m really angry.”

“You can’t just wake up in the morning and do something like this. They don’t understand the devastating effects there would be on football, an industry in which thousands of people work.”

“In the past we had a betting company as a shirt sponsor, we could get it back in the future. That’s a commercial opportunity which can’t be denied to us.”

Source: football-italia.net