New bill could hurt Italy’s gambling industry

The new government is pushing a bill that could do serious damage to the local gambling industry should it pass.

Italy.- The Italian general election in March replaced the country’s government and could have a major impact on the gambling industry. According to local media, the new leadership is pushing a draft bill that would change the sector’s policy framework and do some serious damage to the business.

The new coalition government is promoting “the elimination of gambling machines (slot machines, video lottery terminals) and strong limitations on forms of gambling with repeated bets,” according to some recently leaked drafts. 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.