The EGP-FIPE association presented a report to the Italian Senate on Tuesday, warning that the national gambling sector is facing a regulatory deadlock. The trade body stated that current legal frameworks are stalling market development and failing to address problem gambling effectively.
Representatives of the Italian Federation of Public Establishments within Confcommercio testified before the Constitutional Affairs Committee. They noted that repeated extensions of national concessions, combined with fragmented municipal and regional rules, have frozen the legal market. The association argued that the lack of a unified national reform plan prevents proper network planning and weakens protective measures.
Impact of Local Restrictions
EGP-FIPE president Emmanuele Cangianelli criticized local limitations imposed on land-based operators, such as proximity buffers and strict opening hours. The association claims these measures do not reduce gambling issues but instead displace consumption. Players are increasingly moving to online platforms or the underground market where oversight is minimal.
Cangianelli stated: "The evidence is that where the physical offer is rigidly restricted the problem is not reduced, but moved. Play heads online or to the underground market, where control is nil."
Advertising and Prevention
The Italian Football Federation (FIGC) recently urged the government to review strict betting advertising rules. Outgoing president Gabriele Gravina described the 2018 advertising ban as ineffective. He referenced a 2022 Parliamentary Commission of Inquiry report indicating that underage and illegal gambling continued to grow despite the restrictions.
The EGP-FIPE emphasized the need for nationally coordinated prevention tools. The association highlighted the importance of behavioral monitoring systems, self-exclusion mechanisms, and advanced technology to support the regulated network.