Italian operators prepare for bingo product changes
Consultation period to run until 22 February, while launch could take place as soon as July.
Italian gaming operators will be able to launch a more flexible bingo offering akin to their dot.com counterparts as soon as this summer, eGaming Review understands, with a consultation period on the matter due to come to a close on 22 February.
The consultation period will enable operators to file comments and questions on proposals which allow for independent testing of RNGs and seem set to bring dot.it bingo more in line with many licensees’ offerings in other markets. Dot.it bingo operators can currently only offer 90-ball bingo, while new regulations would allow them to operate all bingo variants offered on dot.com sites as well as give them increased flexibility over the types of jackpots available.
Giulio Coraggio, lawyer with DLA Piper, has suggested “It is likely that operators will be able to launch the new bingo before the summer 2013.”
He added: “This regulatory change is crucial for the future of the Italian online bingo market whose regulations have been so far linked to land-based bingo regulations and therefore very restrictive.
“The new bingo regulations on the contrary will allow much more flexibility enabling operators to offer the same bingo variants available on their foreign websites.”
The changes come as Italy’s online bingo market has failed to replicate the performance of dot.it cash poker and casino games, with player spend on the vertical in the 10 months to 31 October 2012 dropping by more than 10% to 1.4bn.
Meanwhile, a number of dot.it licensees have come into line with advertising regulations laid out in the Balduzzi decree, which came into force earlier this month.
Operators such as PokerStars, 888 and 32Red have included warnings about gambling dependency on their Italian-facing sites, as well as including the 18+ warnings required by the decree.
The liberalisation of online bingo could be the fourth measure brought in by the regulator – now part of Italy’s Customs Authority – in the space of 12 months, after fast-fold poker was approved last July and authorisations for online slots were issued on 3 December. Last July also saw the opening of a testing period for betting on virtual sports.