Italy enters three-month review period with European Commission

Date: 2024-08-15 Author: Alex Crawford Categories: EVENTS
news-banner
Italy is taking a decisive step in reforming its gambling industry by introducing a new regulation for online gambling. The process is currently under the close supervision of the European Commission (EC), which has initiated a mandatory three-month review period.

In July, following the publication of the new regulation in April, the Italian Customs and Monopolies Agency (ADM) submitted the documents to the Ministry of Finance for final approval. Now, following the launch of an open consultation by the EC, all EU Member States and other stakeholders have the opportunity to provide their comments and suggestions before the end of the period on 18 October.

Key provisions of the new regulation

Under the new licensing regime, operators will have to comply with strict technical requirements to ensure the safe and efficient operation of their remote gambling services. Mandatory data protection is a major concern, requiring IT infrastructure, including cloud solutions, to be located within the European Economic Area (EEA).

A key element of the regulation is mandatory cooperation with Sogei, an Italian IT provider. This is necessary to maintain reliable and secure communications between licensed operators and government agencies.

In addition, the new regulation introduces a number of measures aimed at preventing gambling addiction. These include mandatory self-exclusion tools, self-regulation options and blocking functions that will allow players to limit access to gambling.

A ban on “affiliated online sites” (so-called “skins”) is also established, which confirms the strict approach to regulation of the industry. Licensed operators will be able to offer separate applications for different types of games, such as poker, betting, bingo and casino.

Next steps in the implementation of the reform

At the end of the consultation period, in the absence of significant objections, ADM will proceed to the launch of the new licensing regime. The publication of tender documents for the new licenses is expected in late December 2024 or early January 2025.

The reform marks the completion of the first phase of the Gambling Reorganization Decree, which was the first significant step in assessing Italy’s regulatory environment since online gambling was legalized in 2011. The decree aims to protect players, combat crime and increase tax revenues. The Italian Ministry of Economy and Finance has set the price of the new online gambling license at €7 million, with a nine-year term.
image

Leave Your Comments