On 14 April 2026, the Court of Florence published its rulings to dismiss the sanctioning proceedings started by the Italian gambling regulator ADM against a foreign gaming machine provider and an Italian shipping company. ADM alleged the breach of Italian gambling legislation on gaming machines authorisations under Article 110 of the TULPS (Consolidated Law on Public Safety, Royal Decree 18 June 1931, n. 773), which regulates public safety and order and police authorisations in Italy.
The dispute stems from an inspection of the vessel at the seaport of Livorno, in which ADM officials found several gaming machines that lacked the compulsory authorisations prescribed by Article 110. ADM consequently seized the machines and fined the provider and shipping company.
To put things into context, Art. 110 of the TULPS regulates the installation and use of authorised gaming machines within commercial or public shops, as well as the gaming machines in traveling entertainment activities. The same law states that, outside of those shops and activities, “The installation and use of automatic, semi-automatic, and electronic gambling machines are prohibited in public or open-to-the-public places, as well as in clubs and associations of any kind”. Anyone who manufactures, imports, distributes, installs, or allows the use, on the territory of Italy, of gaming machines without the prescribed authorisations is fined.
In its recent ruling, the Court of Florence stated that the provider of gaming machines installed onboard an Italian-flagged vessel registered in the International Register and intended exclusively for use beyond Italian waters shall not be considered responsible for the violation set up by Article 110.