Italian government controversially appoints new AAMS head
Giovanni Kessler is replaced in act that “jeopardises the impartiality and good performance” of the regulator, according to the outgoing head
Italy’s gambling regulator AAMS has a new head after Benedetto Mineo was appointed to lead the department by the country’s new coalition government.
The appointment of Mineo was announced the same day the government’s ‘Dignity Decree’ passed into law this week, confirming its total ban on all gambling advertising.
Mineo arrives at the regulator from Italy’s Tax and Revenue Collection Agency, and relatively little is known about his attitude to gambling beyond the stance of his appointers.
He replaces Giovanni Kessler, who took to Facebook to bemoan the decision having held the top job at AAMS since October 2017.
He said: “I was wiped out by the government as head of the Customs Monopoli Agency on the basis of my real or presumed party membership. There was no evaluation of my skills, projects or results.
“Political cleansing spoils the system. Beyond my personal case, it is an act that jeopardises the impartiality and good performance of the technical bodies of public administration,” he added.
Luigi Di Maio, Italy’s deputy prime minister and the man behind the newly-implemented advertising blackout, also used the social networking site to break the news of the reshuffle.
He wrote: “We have cancelled the top jobs at the Customs Agency and also the State Property Agency.
“Where there were respectively a former mayor of the Democratic Party and a former MP of the Democratic Party, there are now Benedetto Mineo and Riccardo Carpino. I wish everyone a good job!”
Italy’s government came into power in June and is drawn up of ministers from the anti-establishment Five Star Movement (MS5) and the right-wing Lega party.