- with readers working within the Retail & Leisure industries
- within Media, Telecoms, IT, Entertainment, Intellectual Property and Consumer Protection topic(s)
The process for the decree on the reorganisation of land-based gaming is entering a crucial phase.
On 10 April, the Unified State-Regions Conference is scheduled, followed by approval of the text by the Council of Ministers and, subsequently, its review by the parliamentary committees before final approval.
This is a complex process, which must be completed by 29 August, the deadline set by the enabling law. In other words, within five months, long-standing issues such as distance restrictions, time bands, and limits – whose regulatory uncertainty has made the retail segment highly fragmented due to local and regional legislation – must be resolved in an adequate, definitive and uniform manner.
The cornerstone of the reorganisation of the land-based gaming sector must necessarily rest on a national regulatory framework that is single, certain, clear and consistent in all respects.
Only on this basis can the economic and financial sustainability of all operators in the supply chain be safeguarded, enabling targeted planning of investments and strategies.
At the same time, the objectives pursued by the sector reform are well known and shared by operators: to balance the need to protect public health, ensure legality and economic sustainability, while also guaranteeing a qualified and certified gaming offering capable of countering illegal gambling.
For its part, the market – seeking to emerge from years of regulatory instability – hopes to rely on consistent criteria for the territorial distribution of machines, clear operational parameters, safety standards, rules for gaming halls, authorisation criteria, and clarity in the relationships between the State and local authorities.
However, the regulatory framework will have to take into account the significant changes that have meanwhile taken place in the gaming sector, particularly with regard to channels, technology, digitalisation, and evolving consumption patterns, where the distinction between land-based and online channels is becoming increasingly blurred.
Indeed, consumption trends show growing integration between the online experience and physical presence, confirming that the two channels are increasingly hybrid (omnichannel) in nature. The online sector has already adopted new tools resulting from technological evolution (AI, apps, user experience, gamification), as well as advanced payment and access systems.
The risk to be avoided is that regulation may prove misaligned with market trends, which are increasingly digital, physically integrated, global and data-driven.
The decree on the reorganisation of land-based gaming will constitute the regulatory basis for the issuance of ADM (Agenzia delle Dogane e dei Monopoli) tenders concerning VLT (Video Lottery Terminal) and AWP (Amusement With Prizes) machines, betting and bingo halls. Pending the issuance of the decree, the available figures are based solely on market rumours, but they are highly indicative of the significant financial commitment required and the need to define a clear pathway enabling operators to plan investments and ensure network continuity:
- Machines: starting bid of €25 million for lots of 4,000 rights for slot machines and 900 for VLTs;
- Betting: package of 25 rights with a starting bid of €1,500,000;
- Bingo halls: €350,000 per hall (210 halls).
Il riordino del gioco fisico presupposto normativo dei prossimi bandi ADM
The content of this article is intended to provide a general guide to the subject matter. Specialist advice should be sought about your specific circumstances.
[View Source]