Italy reveals plans for gambling advertising ban

[The Buzz]

Italy Deputy Prime Minister Luigi Di Maio announced last week that the newly elected Italian government is planning an “absolute ban” on advertising and sponsorships. The coalition also wants a one-third reduction in video lottery terminals in retail outlets and a reduction in amusement with prizes machines.

According to a report in Gambling Insider, the plan will have a “massive impact” on online companies, handing an advantage to land-based operators.

Any advertising ban “will have a major effect on the Italian gambling industry, although it is possible to have an industry without advertising as the UK did from 1960-2007,” Steve Donoughue, a London-based industry expert, told Gambling Insider.

“However, the major difference is the fact that the UK industry at the time was land-based, modern online gambling is different. Online operators must advertise sign up offers, if you remove adverts it becomes near impossible for them do business. It will have a massive impact, with an advantage going to land-based operators. As a result online companies could be forced into gorilla marketing which is incredibly expensive.”

Italy has introduced legislation to prohibit “any form, director or indirect, of advertising propaganda, of commercial communication, sponsorship or promotion of brands or products of games with cash prizes, offer in collection networks, both physical and online.” It is also considering spending limits and requiring gamblers to use a personal bank cards to prevent underage gambling.

Donoughue, who has advised William Hill Group and the National Casino Industry Forum, said Italy holds the mistaken belief that ads cause problem gambling.

"Operators need to educate people and governments about how socially responsible they are through education programmes and lobbying, in order to help change these perceptions," Donoughue told Gambling Insider.

“Nothing is straightforward in Italy at the moment, there could be a new government at anytime and new legislation can often take a while to be enforced. But, if it does happen and they do ban all gambling adverts, it will be disastrous to their industry”.

Italy’s gambling market has been rapidly growing during a period of economic hardship for the rest of the country, making it a prime target for the cash-strapped government.

Read more here: https://www.gamblinginsider.com/news...massive-impact

[Cash Bonus]

That's sad news for Italy. What a shame.

[TheGooner]

Italy has introduced legislation to prohibit “any form, director or indirect, of advertising propaganda, of commercial communication, sponsorship or promotion of brands or products of games with cash prizes, offer in collection networks, both physical and online.”

If this is trying to say Italy will control content on the internet then it's a sentence without practical implementation.

[marlies]

[/I][/COLOR]If this is trying to say Italy will control content on the internet then it's a sentence without practical implementation.

I agree, doesn't look good. Be interesting to see how they'll control it

[Triple7]

I am curious what they'll do against 1xBet and their advertisments.

[Sherlock]

How they will control it? With domain blocks as Italians do it for years. They have lists of a lot of domains they do not like. They will just add another ones.

You guys are delusional, if you think there is not already censorship in place in Europe. Just new domains will be added to the existing list. Yes, it is possible and will be always possible to go around it. But 90%+ people are not even close to do it.

With 1xbet they can not do a lot, if 1xbet will continue to play the game of domain hopping. But I think I have never seen an Italian conversion to NDP at 1xbet.

[Moonlight Cat]

Italy Deputy Prime Minister Luigi Di Maio announced last week that the newly elected Italian government is planning an “absolute ban” on advertising and sponsorships.

Maybe some goverment members want bribe from online gambling tycoons? This is old trick. Government or deputy or both plan to announces some new nightmarish law for business. After "consulting" bill sinks in bureaucratic procedures.

[Vargoso]

Maybe this is one of the reasons for Italy still not joining the shared liquidity in Europe...

[Ladiepre]

Its safe to say that the industry will crumble though it leaves one wondering how the giants 1xBet will be affected in all of this.
But as history has proven it, time and over, where one faction collapses, another comes up. As Italy says goodbye to gambling adverts, a new method of reaching the masses will surely come up