Given that the Giorgia Meloni party in Italy formally approved a mandate to reorganise the gambling industry in mid-March, this mandate, if officially approved by the parliament, where it has been proposed since April 20, would further lead to a radical reconstruction of the land-based gambling industry with the aim of standardising the sector's laws and regulations.
The draught bill is now moving quickly through Italy's constitutional ranks.
Before ultimate approval, 12 parliamentary committees must also provide their input.
The mandate's primary goal is:
The mandate's and its backers' primary objective is to reorganise the gaming industry through the adoption of regulations with constitutional force and uniform requirements that must be followed in all Italian regions.
The government's strategy is to "progressively concentrate land-based gaming venues (casinos, betting shops, arcades, and bingo halls) in safe and controlled venues away from academic, youth, and welfare institutions," according to the plan.
Prioritising safer gaming:
A top priority of the reform plan is safer gaming "as businesses must ensure the full protection of problem gamblers." These actions entail:
Reducing stake and wins caps, requiring ongoing training for concessionaires, dealers, and operators, bolstering self-exclusion tools, and establishing minimum standards for halls and other gambling establishments are also suggested.
Additionally, the government has informed all licenced operators that it would change gaming taxes, concessionaire commissions, dealer and operator fees, and payment percentages.
The third initiative to restructure the gaming industry:
Italian observers have noted that in the past eight years, the government has made three attempts to regulate the gaming industry.
The first two efforts were unsuccessful owing to political issues or popular resistance.
One of the key contributors to the Italian economy is the gaming industry:
Despite the long-term shutdown of gaming facilities in 2020 and 2021, the Italian market is continuously expanding and is one of the biggest in Europe.
GGR climbed by 31% to 19.6 billion euros in 2022 alone, while tax receipts increased by 28% to 11.2 billion euros. An worldwide standard-setting regulatory structure is primarily responsible for the market's success.
However, the gambling industry makes a significant contribution to the Italian economy, and it is the responsibility of the government to ensure that it is properly controlled.
The Treasury and the provinces will work to end the instability that prevails in the territory with retail enterprises, and the Meloni Government intends to implement a model based on state concession and police permission, as it is currently.
Prior to final approval, the mandate must also have the approval of the 12 parliamentary committees stated above, including Finance, Constitutional Affairs, Productive Activities, and Labour. The Government will have to create the following regulations when the mandate is accepted.
Deputy Minister Maurizio Leo oversaw the modifications and expressed confidence that the legislative decrees would be upheld as early as the next year.
Leo was questioned "on the complex arrangements gambling operators have with regional governments" at a news conference in Rome.
"Talks will take place through the state-regions body Conferenza Unificata," he said, "which aims to harmonise the gaming rules on minimum distance and opening times throughout the country."
The retail industry will keep holding a key position:
Despite the expansion of internet gaming, the retail industry will still be crucial, as seen by post-pandemic commercial performance.
According to a research titled "Italian Gaming market: solid foundation and compelling value creation opportunities" published by Bain & Company, "the market still has room for growth linked to the development of the online channel, but retail will continue to play a central role."
According to the consultancy company, "the market has an incidence of only 30% compared to mature markets such as the United Kingdom and the Nordics, which have a penetration of 70-80%."
Lottomatica SPA this week submitted its listing plans to the Milan EuroNext Borsa, kicking off a €700 million book-build to reach an IPO valuation of over €2.7 billion, significantly transforming the gaming industry in Italy.
Better, Intralot, and GoldBet, which together represent for 33% of the retail market share, were merged by Lottomatica in advance of the IPO. This brand now competes with SNAI (Playtech), Sisal (Flutter Entertainment), and EuroBet (Entain Plc).
