Italy's gambling industry is facing significant changes, with the Meloni government leading the push for the modernization of offline gambling regulation, aiming to create a unified, safe, and standardized industry framework. After years of negotiations with local authorities, the government is about to introduce a legislative draft to address the inconsistent regulation issues across the country's 20 regions and 110 cities, covering offline scenarios such as slot machines, betting shops, and bingo halls. This reform is a key step in upgrading Italy's gambling industry, further complementing offline regulation after the perfection of online gambling regulations in 2024, with relevant European gambling compliance reform cases available for reference on the PASA official website.
National Unified Regulation: Outlet "Slimming" + Type Integration
The new legislative draft focuses on standardizing the offline gambling network, with clear regulations on the number and type of outlets:
Number control: About 10% of the current operating slot machine outlets (including bars, tobacco shops, game rooms) will lose their operating qualifications, ultimately reducing the total number of offline slot machine outlets to 40,000, with the total number of betting shops maintained at an upper limit of 10,000;
Type simplification: The distinction between "professional betting shops" and "betting corners" in bars and other venues is eliminated, unifying regulatory standards and reducing compliance complexity;
Core goal: By integrating and streamlining, the fragmented regional regulation issues are resolved, allowing for more orderly industry development.
Player Protection Core: Certification System + Sensitive Area "Red Lines"
The reform places player protection and addiction prevention at its core, introducing multiple stringent measures:
1. Mandatory Certification and Supporting Requirements
Certification lead: Managed by the Italian Customs and Monopolies Agency (ADM), certified outlets must install video surveillance, prohibit minors from entering, and set up a separate non-cash game area (accessible to minors);
Differentiated management: Certified outlets have more flexible operating hours and can deploy more devices; uncertified outlets face stricter restrictions, including longer mandatory closure times.
2. Distance and Operating Time Restrictions for Sensitive Areas
Distance requirements: Certified outlets must maintain a distance of at least 100 meters from middle schools, rehabilitation centers, hospitals, and other sensitive areas, while uncertified outlets must reach 200 meters, protecting vulnerable groups;
Operating hours: Certified outlets are mandatorily closed for 6.5 hours daily (3:00-8:30, 13:30-14:30); uncertified outlets close for 8 hours (3:00-9:00, 13:00-15:00), reducing excessive gambling risks.
Tender for Concessions and Market Integration Trends
The reform also includes new rules for concession tenders, while the trend of industry integration becomes increasingly apparent:
1. Concession Tender: Boosting Fiscal Revenue
Tender scope: Open to companies in the European Economic Area that meet financial and technical requirements, offering tenders for slot machines, betting shops, and bingo halls;
Tender details: The basic tender value is 25 million euros, including 4,000 advanced AWP game rights and 900 VLT machines; the betting field includes 10,000 rights (covering sports betting, horse racing, etc.), auctioned in minimum units of 25, with each right valued at 1.4 million euros;
Fiscal benefits: The tender is expected to generate nearly 20 billion euros in new tax revenue for Italy, enriching the national treasury.
2. Market Integration: Rise of Giants, Pressure on Small Businesses
Integration dynamics: In 2024, industry mergers and acquisitions are active, with Lottomatica acquiring SKS365 for 650 million euros, and Flutter Entertainment acquiring Sisal and Snaitech for 2 billion euros and 2.3 billion euros respectively, continuing the expansion of the giants' territories;
Industry impact: The government believes that integration helps enhance compliance and player protection, but some observers worry that the new regulatory framework may increase operating and licensing costs, making it harder for small independent operators to survive, balancing the interests of large and small businesses becomes key.
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This article is from "PASA-Global iGaming Leaders" gambling industry news channel:https://t.me/pasa_news
Original in-depth gambling channel:https://t.me/gamblingdeep
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PASA official website: https://www.pasa.news
