Italian gambling advertising regulations take force
Regulator issues clarifications, including requirement for operator to include 18+ and addiction notices.
Italian regulatory authority AAMS has brought into force its new gambling advertising regulations, with licensed operators at risk of a fine of up to 500,000 if they fail to comply.
The measures were first announced in September as part of the Balduzzi decree, and the regulator – now part of the country’s Customs Authority – has issued further guidelines to operators.
Among the things which must now be included on operators’ banners are 18+ certificates and “clear and succinct” information on payouts and “the risk of dependence on the practice of the game”, as well as formalities such as companies’ licence numbers.
In a blog post for eGaming Review in September, lawyer Giulio Coraggio expressed concern about the lack of clarity regarding one element of the Balduzzi decree – namely the calls to limit any advertising which “create[s] an incentive to the gambling activity or to exalt games”, and last week Coraggio noted in his GamingTechLAW blog that “AAMS’ instructions have not clarified the most controversial point raised [previously].
“Indeed, this lack of clear instructions puts operators in a kind of limbo and a more detailed review of gambling advertisements will be necessary before their launch,” he added.
A number of egaming companies recently entered the Italian market for the first time as the country regulated online slots, while licences have also been issued for poker, casino and sports betting.
Further forms of gambling are expected to be introduced in 2013, with AAMS noting that guidelines and technical information with regards to betting on virtual sports will be made available by the end of this month.