Gambling ads ban to start next year in Italy

The new coalition government submitted the final draft of the measure that plans to ban gambling ads.

Italy.- Italy’s attempts to ban gambling advertising could be implemented on January 1st, 2019, as the coalition government presented the final draft of the bill that calls for an absolute ban on gambling advertising and sponsorships.

The measure was first introduced in May, in a move to eliminate gambling machines (slot machines, video lottery terminals) and limit gambling with repeated bets. Italy’s deputy premier and leader of the Five Star Movement party, Luigi Di Maio, said earlier this month that the coalition is planning to modify the industry and would start with the advertising sector.

The Dignity Decree says that the ban will be applied to any form of advertising related to games or wagering with winnings of money, “however carried out and by any means, including sporting, cultural or artistic events, television or radio broadcasts, daily and periodic press, publications in general, billboards and internet.”

It also says that the ban applies to sponsorships and “all forms of content communication promotional not counted among the usual tabular advertising messages and includes the visual and acoustic citations and the superimpression of the name, brand, symbols, activities or products that promotes gambling or betting.”

If the restrictions are not followed, bans starting in €50k will be applied and could be extended to a five per cent of the sponsorship or ad value. Operators and media outlets will be equally subject to the fines. Entities with underage audiences will be subject to higher fines, starting at €100k and reaching €500k. The money collected from the fines will be directed to problem gambling programs.