AAMS to bring in amnesty on totems
No new terminals may be introduced by licensed or unlicensed operators " move is expected to be welcomed by operators preparing for online slots launch.
Italian regulatory body AAMS has clarified that operators in the country are forbidden from installing new totems “ the gaming terminals present in shops and public places throughout the EU member state.
The move comes less than a month before the first dot.it slots licences are due to be issued, and a number of potential licensees are understood to have been concerned about whether totem operators ought to be permitted to offer slots without a specific online authorisation.
In contrast, video lottery operators had taken issue with the differing tax rates applied to the respective segments of the Italian gaming sector, with the tax rate for online slots sitting at 20% of gross profit while the figure for land-based slots at the moment, including video lottery terminals, it is 4% of turnover.
This had led to speculation that the rollout of online slots, signposted for early January after the issuing of authorisations on two specific dates in December, could be delayed, however this now appears unlikely to be the case.
The clarification with regards to totems comes as part of a new Italian law ratifying the Balduzzi Decree, focusing on gaming advertising. Guidelines with regard to this decree were issued in September, and among the elements retained following a period of consultation is the prohibition of advertising in magazines or other locations accessible by minors.
Giulio Coraggio, lawyer with DLA Piper Italy, explained to eGaming Review: “The video lottery operators don’t want to damage their [existing] business by offering online slots through their gaming halls “ they want to act legally but they also don’t want other operators to act illegally and offer their online games through land-based channels of communication and therefore be competing against them.”
Coraggio added in a blog post this week: “This change will be welcomed by both videolottery operators that with the upcoming launch of online slots were concerned because of competition arising from a product very similar to VLTs and with a lower taxation, but will be welcomed also by some online operators as this change might put an end to the rumours about a delay in the launch of online slots.”