Among the Dignity Decree provisions aimed at improving job security, the Italian Parliament has voted a ban on all advertising and sponsorship for gambling with the alleged aim to strengthen consumer protection and to introduce more effective means to combat gambling addiction.
Specifically, the Decree bans:
- with effect as of 14 July 2018, any direct and indirect advertising of legal and illegal gambling activities on any event, in whatever form and on whatsoever media channel ; and
- any sponsorship from gambling as well as any form of commercial communication of promotional content, with effect as of 1 January 2019.
The Decree includes limited exemptions from the ban for the national lottery offered once a year and local raffles as well as a temporary exemption for 12 months for those ongoing advertising agreements that had existed prior to ban introduction.
Gambling operators, media carriers and organizers companies that flout the ban would face a fine amounting to 20% of the value of the sponsorship or advertising contract and in any case not less than €50,000 for each violation, with the money going to the National fund for tackling gambling addiction.
The Italian Communications Regulatory Authority- Autorità per le Garanzie nelle Telecomunicazioni (‘AGCOM’) – is the body that carries the authority to issue sanctions pursuant to the Decree.
In order to compensate the impact of the ban, the Decree states the fiscal levy on gambling machines is increased.
At the same time, it sets forth new stringent provisions for gambling machines and scratch-cards compulsory warnings.
Gambling addiction warnings are to be printed on machines and within any bar, shop or outlets where these are located.
As for the new scratch-cards to be issued, these shall contain dedicated gambling addiction warnings, on both sides of the card to cover at least 20% of the relevant card and specifically a new warning of appropriate dimension on both sides of the card stating: “this game damages health” – similarly as for the tobacco products warning.
With no doubt, the impact of these provisions and their possible challenging will shape the next future for gambling in Italy.