Meloni moves on gaming machines in Italy gambling reform
Summary
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has pushed forward a draft decree to the Council of Ministers aimed at overhauling retail gambling rules. The proposal targets a substantial reduction in the network of venues hosting slot machines and video lottery terminals (VLTs), tighter player-protection measures enforced via venue certification from the Customs and Monopolies Agency (ADM), minimum-distance rules from sensitive locations, and mandated daily shutdown periods. The changes are part of a wider ADM-led drive to strengthen the regulated market, tackle the black market and tighten compliance across online and retail segments.
Key numerical proposals include cutting outlets with slot machines by around 10% to 40,000; reducing slot machines from roughly 240,000 to 200,000 and VLTs from about 55,000 to 46,000. The reforms also reopen review of the Dignity Decree that bans iGaming shirt sponsorships in Serie A, while local regional laws must be updated to align with national changes. After cabinet approval, the bill will move to the Joint State–Regions Conference and parliamentary committees; no fixed implementation timeline has been set.
Key Points
- Draft decree will be presented to the Council of Ministers to reorganise retail gambling in Italy.
- Estimated reduction of venues with slot machines to about 40,000 (roughly a 10% cut).
- Projected cuts in gaming hardware: slots from ~240,000 to ~200,000 and VLTs from ~55,000 to ~46,000.
- ADM-led venue certification to enforce player-protection measures and prevent underage access.
- Minimum-distance rules: 100m from schools, addiction centres and hospitals for certified venues; 200m for non-certified venues.
- Mandated shutdown periods for machines: certified venues to close 03:00–08:30 and 13:30–14:30; non‑certified venues face an extra half‑hour closure during those windows, with the afternoon window starting at 13:00.
- Review of the Dignity Decree (shirt-sponsorship ban) is underway — a potentially significant change for sports sponsorship and the black-market debate.
- ADM has already restructured the online market (activating 52 licences and banning skins) as part of a broader compliance and anti-money‑laundering push.
- Regional governments must amend local laws to align with national reform once approved.
Context and Relevance
These measures form a major retail reshuffle that will affect operators, landlords, suppliers and regional administrations. The drive to certify venues and tighten distances/hours aims to strengthen player protection and make licensed outlets more defensible versus unlicensed operators. Removing ‘skins’ online and reviewing sponsorship rules signals a broader policy shift to rebalance the market toward stronger regulation and enforcement. For anyone with exposure to the Italian iGaming or retail sector, this could change market structure, revenues and compliance costs.
Author style
Punchy: This isn’t a marginal tweak — it’s a targeted attempt to shrink and professionalise Italy’s retail footprint while tightening online compliance. If you work in Italian gambling, supply machines, or follow sports sponsorship, these changes could materially alter markets and contracts. Read the detail if you want to anticipate licence moves, outlet closures and regulatory compliance demands.
Why should I read this?
Quick heads-up: Meloni’s plan will shrink the number of venues and machines, impose new certifications, change operating hours and could even reopen the shirt‑sponsorship debate. If you’re in the Italian gambling ecosystem — operator, supplier, investor or regulator — this is big. We’ve boiled the essentials down so you don’t need to wade through the full decree draft to get the implications.
Source
Source: https://igamingexpert.com/regions/europe/meloni-italy-gambling/