Online gambling regulation in Italy

The gambling in Italy, the rules and regulations of the online gambling casino and its peculiarity, the prohibition of the roulette and the progressive jackpot

The economic crisis in Italy has last 10 years. It seems that the Italians have adapted to a variety of problems associated with frequent changes of the prime ministers and microscopic progress in the economic sphere. The online gambling in Italy is partly legalized in order to prevent the already problematic country’s capital turnover leak abroad.

As for the 2016 the country’s gambling are represented by six land-based and about two hundred virtual casino; the last were legalized only in 2011. The peculiarity of virtual gaming establishments is that they banned the game of roulette and the progressive jackpot.

The land-based casinos are located in the border areas, and this is no accidental. Everything is designed to ensure that the traveler who intent on visiting a country where gambling is thriving for a long time – France, Slovenia, Switzerland – passed by these casinos, stopping in them and leaving behind a certain amount.

Although that in the online space of Italy roulette and progressive jackpot are banned, these kinds of games are allowed in any country on the sites that offer free demo slots for informational purposes. However, sometimes if the provider decides that the represented games are gambling advertise or even contain some elements of agitation, therefore block the launch of the machines. Also, the access to the one-armed bandit can be closed without any reason explanations.

Brief description of Italy

Italy or the Italian Republic is located in the center of the Mediterranean, in southern Europe. It is part of NATO and the EU since their formation. The capital of the republic – is Rome.

Geographically, the country is located in the Po Valley, the southern slopes of the Alps, the Apennine Peninsula, and the Balkan, islands of Sardinia, Sicily, and other smaller ones.

Italy – is a unitary republic, which is the president, his actions are regulated by the parliament. The constitution is the main law of the country, it took in 1947. The Chairman of the Council of Ministers is the head of the Government and also the executive power.

The government is decentralized, divided into 20 regions, which are located in 110 provinces. The latter are divided into communes, of which there are 8101. Each region has their councils and executive bodies – Giunti. These councils can make their laws within the limits prescribed by the Constitution.

As the gambling is regulated in Italy

The code of Laws, which could be guided to control the gambling business in Italy, has not yet been developed. The casinos’ activity is controlled by private companies and municipalities. The latest owns all buildings, in which are located the gambling halls, casinos and the rules established by it owners of premises.

In the country, the gambling activity is regulated by AAMS or the supervising commission of Gambling. The Italians are allowed to play on the machines in various lotteries, use the services of the bookmakers.

The activities of the AAMS in Italy are as follows:

  • Issuing licenses for the organizers of gambling for poker, casino, sports betting, and lotteries.
  • Tracking the activities of gambling establishments, because the license allows the gambling activities exclusively within the country.
  • Monitoring of timely tax payments to the state treasury.

The taxes

The taxation of the land-based casinos sometimes reaches 70% of gross income. For example, the gaming house Saint-Vincent makes to the state budget these contributions:

  • 70% of revenue from slot machines;
  • 50% of the American games;
  • 45% of the French games.

For the virtual gambling casinos in Italy, the tax is less – 20% of gross income. However, even in this situation the state budget annually is replenished in the amount of 17-18 billion euros. The total revenue from all kinds of casinos in Italy is approximately 60 billion euros a year – that’s one of the greatest figures in the entire European Union.

The rules are also set for the gamblers:

  • The minimum denomination chips – 250 euros;
  • The highest rate should not exceed 1,000 euros.

The tax on the gain also generates some revenue into the coffers of the country. So, if a player gains more than 500 Euros, it is obliged to pay the state 6% of the gambling “income”.

Limitations and fight against the crime

If a man has lost every last penny, some gambling establishments pay his way home. When a story is repeated three times, the player is entered in the blacklist and it will never be allowed into a casino.

The legalization of gambling gave the impetus to the activities of the mafia groups. To launder illegal money, the main perpetrators use the slot machines, which are in inconspicuous cafes, and bars. The machines are cut off from the main game server, thus avoiding entering their real incomes in the general register and paying the proper amount of tax. In recent years, about 500 thousand of these machines were registered in Italy.

The Italy gambling authority has two options to combat the crime of this kind:

  • Control of the license units and changes in the payment of taxes from them;
  • To verify the gaming machine the police is given the laptops that are connected, for example, to the slot and obtain the necessary information of it.

The benefits from gambling

The gambling establishments solve the problem not only with the replenishment of the budget in Italy but also cope with some local tasks. The economy of individual cities is heavily dependent on the activities of the casino. For example, here are a few such areas:

  • Campione d’Italia with the eponymous house. In addition to the tax from the casino – huge revenue to the city budget, it also provides workplaces for every fifth citizen.
  • In Venice, the Vendramin Calergi palace, where the casino is located, provides not only a wide range of services but supports the old building in perfect condition.
  • The budget of Venice is also filling up by two more casinos: Ca’Noghera and Del Lido. The first opened in 1999, is made in the American style and located near the airport. Marco Polo the second is located on the Lido Island.
  • San Remo generates revenue not only from the spa business; its prosperity depends on the income deducted by the local casino with slot machines, video poker and traditional casino games.
  • The city of Saint-Vincent was luckiest than others, there is the largest casino in Europe De La Valle, which bring income from 400 slots and 90 gaming tables.

The license for the opening of the gambling business in Italy is about 300 thousand euros, excluding the VAT. The total of such licenses issued by the Italy gambling law are 200. If a gambling establishment is found operating without a license, is closed and the owner is sentenced to 6 years in prison. When in the casino activities are detected violations of rules and regulations, it is deprived of the license and fined 5000 euros.

Statistics gambling in Italy

The supervisory gambling commission in Italy does not print the statistics since 2013. The local media became engaged this question. As for 2015, they found the numbers indicating the dynamic development of the online gambling market.

  • The total revenue of the online casinos has grown by 24% per year.
  • The revenue from sports betting rose by 18% over the same period.

A lowering in the profit was found only in the field of online poker for six months the revenues in this market decreased by 23%. The least were affected the poker tournaments – only three percent decrease. The reason why the revenues in this area began to fall, seems to be the demographic changes and new rules made by the state regulator. Regarding the demographic factor, it can be said that the age of gamblers increased, and older people prefer sports betting, renouncing poker.

About what speak the trends

In 2016, the Italy online gambling regulation revealed some evidence whereby it became evident that the online games sector increased again by 21% in the first three months of this year. This increased the sports betting revenues and the land-based casinos at 30%.

The Company Bet365 is a major player in the Italian market of gambling entertainment. It declared itself in 2014 and since then does not leave its leading position with regard to the volume of annual sales. In this company the first quarter of 2016 gross revenue of casinos increased by 38% and from the games and sports betting – by 41%.

The general trends show the stable growth of the indicators, this means that the market for the games industry since the beginning of 2015 is growing rapidly. The experts compared the figures:

  • The first half of 2015 – a growth in gross gaming revenue by 9.5% more than the same period last year;
  • The second half of 2015 – an increase of 16.5% more than what was observed by the end of 2014.

It was concluded that by the beginning of 2017 the total income of the gambling industry can achieve the greatest exponents. However, due to the fact that next year in Italy will not be changed the taxation and there are not planned any major sporting events, the gambling business revenue growth may progress more slowly.

The reports of various organizations on gambling show that the average citizen of Italy for a year consumes about 1,000 euros on the slot machines and casinos. This formed the base that provides a stable, albeit sometimes not very rapid increase in the gross revenue of casinos. The residents of Lombardy spend the most on gambling, on average, each person here leave at the casino 3,000 euros per year.

The most famous casino in Italy

The most famous casino is located in Campione and is called “Italy”. Soon it will celebrate its centenary, as an institution was opened in 1917, of course, while it worked illegally, because the gambling was finally legalized in the country only in 1933.

For the Campione the casino “Italy” is the main source of income, to replenish the budget. At work here is involved, every fifth resident of the city. In the casino are available all gambling permitted by the law in Italy.

The gambling house Vendramin Calergi, located in the old castle of Venice, considered the most beautiful in the world. The luxurious interior decoration, richly decorated exterior of the building, as well as the maximum range of gambling in Italy attracts the visitors here. In addition to the traditional slots and gaming tables are offered Trente-Quarante and Chemin de Fer.

San Remo – the casino located in the same city, occupying an old castle building. The luxury design rooms and a range of games here attract the gamblers besides the usual personages of art and politics. Among the casino games are the slots, video poker, and classic gambling entertainment. In San Remo, as well as in other terrestrial elite casinos, has a strict dress code and age limits. The visitors should be sure to be in possession of the identity document.

The fourth most well-known gambling establishment Italy is the casino de la Vallée in the Saint-Vincent city. It is the youngest among all the other casinos, it was opened in 1957.

The history of the Italian gambling

The gambling establishments in Italy for many years were legalized, then again banned. However, not always was like that, until the XX century the casino worked freely throughout the country. The very first gambling house was “Ridotto” in Venice, opened in 1626. Then the city council officially gave the permission to the institution to conducted public gambling, for which his income was calculated the tenth part.

However, to the XVIII century “Ridotto” got so scandalous reputation that it was closed. In the XIX century, again in Venice, was opened another casino, which made the development of gambling business in the country. However, the outbreak of the First World War led to the fact that 59 casinos were closed in Italy.

Prohibitions and authorizations

When in 1923 came to power, The Prime Minister Benito Mussolini, completely banned the gambling business in the country. The national Lottery remains the only gambling entertainment available to the Italians. However, after some time, the Italian government saw that the gamblers to meet their requests went gambling in the neighboring countries. It was the minus in the capital replacement for the country, so Mussolini decided to legalize more gambling, thereby closing the border for the gambling citizens. Thus appeared the following important milestones in the history of the development of a gambling business in Italy:

  • In 1927, it was officially opened the first casino in San Remo.
  • In 1933 two more such institutions were allowed working legally.
  • By 1937, there were already several legal gambling houses in Venice.

In 1981, at the Casino San Remo, there were problems due to an unexpected check, authorized by the Italian police. The staff establishments were charged with manipulation of the tables for games. This triggered a wave of raids on other gambling houses, as a result, serious violations of the rules of the games were found. Of course, over time, all was quiet, the order was imposed. However, the Italian government learned a lesson from what happened and decided to develop a common position, according to which the work all casinos will be regulated.

Legal regulation

After some redeployment in the Government of Italy appears the position in which a person should control the operators of gambling establishments. Then a wave of reorganization of the casino and since 1986 these houses were owned by urban municipalities, which establish their own rules for their operation. Each region is free to decide what percentage of casino revenue should deduct the treasury. There is still no common to all areas position that would be governed by income taxes and gambling market.

However, it does not mean the absence of the rules for gambling, as such. They were formed a long time, their effectiveness was tested experience. Although such a model of organization of gambling has not only advantages but also disadvantages, it has shown its effectiveness. The rules allow the Italian government to control the flow of money abroad, as well as enjoy gambling market to replenish the treasury and solve the problem of employment of its citizens.

What we have today

The Italian authorities have legalized not only the land-based casinos but also the online portals offering casino entertainment. The main purpose of such a step, as mentioned above – is the replenishment of the state budget. However, the online gambling is clamped very strict limits, which do not allow him to receive the income that has the similar sites, such as France or the UK.

Among there are severe restrictions:

  • Receive illegal betting license is punishable by deprivation and a heavy fine;
  • Roulette and the progressive jackpot is prohibited.

Because of the latter restriction for the Italian players are not available, much gambling on the Web. However, the country’s gambling industry continues to evolve, and with it the rules governing it. The Italian legislation is aimed not only at increasing the treasury but to protect the rights of the players.

The country’s laws provide effective measures to protect its citizens from gambling operators doing business in bad faith. Also, the Italian law prevents the game addiction. These provisions meet the interests of both players and casinos.

Rank Review Payout % New Player Bonus Enjoy!
1 william hill casino logo William Hill 96.00 Up to £150 US flag United States Not Accepted!
2 32red casino logo 32Red - US flag United States Not Accepted!

Wait...