LeoVegas splits from Italian trade body over ad ban stance
EGR understands the Swedish operator left LOGiCO due to a difference in approach over Italy’s ban on gambling advertising
LeoVegas has left Italian trade body LOGiCO after a disagreement over how to challenge the country’s blackout ban on gambling advertising.
The Swedish operator has been one of the most vocal campaigners against the ad ban in the Italian betting market, led by Italy country manager Niklas Lindahl, who favoured a more assertive approach than the trade body.
After the ad ban was announced, LeoVegas set out a three-pronged plan to campaign against the new marketing legislations.
One was through PR, by creating a buzz and a debate in the Italian news media. The second was by lobbying campaign groups and interacting with politicians, and the third was through a legal challenge in the domestic and European courts.
LOGiCO could not be reached for comment at the time of writing.
Since exiting LOGiCO, LeoVegas has spent time with Maltese MEP Roberta Metsola in both Malta and Brussels as the operator tries to work out a strategy for challenging the ban alongside the EU.