Gambling in Italy

A Ludus Duodecim Scriptorum, a board game popular during the Roman Empire

Gambling in Italy has existed for centuries and has taken on many forms. Its dates back to the days of the Roman Empire, when the predecessor of the modern game of backgammon, Ludus Duodecim Scriptorum, became popular among Roman legionnaires. It is also due to them that the game came to other European countries.[1]

The first gambling house, "Ridotto", was opened in Venice in 1638 (387 years ago) (1638). It was sanctioned by the government aiming to control gambling activity of the citizens. Although admission to the gambling house was free, only rich people could afford to play there, because the stakes were high. The games played were biribi, resembling a modern lottery, and bassetta. Both games had a very high house edge. In 1774, "Ridotto" was closed, resulting in the growth of popularity of the closed gambling clubs. These clubs were called 'casinos', and the word casino itself is of Italian origin.[2]

Baccarat originated in Italy in the 15th century,[3][4] and bingo is also of Italian origin. In the 1530s, Italians played a game called 'Lo Giuoco del Lotto D'Italia', which resembled bingo.[5]

## Gambling law

[edit]

Sanremo Casino Casinò di Campione

According to Italian criminal law, gambling is illegal, be it organized in a public place or a private club. At the same time, there's a difference between games of luck and games where the outcome depends on the player's skill. Sports-betting, lotteries, and some other activities fall into the category of legal and regulated gambling activities.

Only the state has the right to allow gambling. ADM (Agenzia delle Dogane e dei Monopoli – "agency for gaming and monopolies") is granted the power to issue licenses and regulate other gambling matters. Punishment for breaking the law ranges from fines to imprisonment.[6]

Italy has come a long way from totally prohibiting all gambling activities to legalizing some of them under certain conditions. The main reason why the Italian government has adhered to strict rules has been the desire to avoid the possible negative effects associated with the industry. The following amendments liberalized the market in 2006:

* Legalisation of real-money skill games and betting exchanges
* Opening of the Italian gambling market to operators from EU and EFTA countries (on condition they meet certain requirements)
* Opening of a new license tender that was supposed to rearrange the network of offline betting establishments and also providing possibilities for online gaming operators to offer their services on a legal basis.[7]

The Finance Act of 2007 was another milestone in the regulation of gambling in Italy. It legalized card games of skill, specifying that such games should be played in the form of a tournament, with the stakes equal to the tournament entry fee. This automatically legalized Texas Hold'em poker. Other poker games, as well as video poker games based on the same rules, were prohibited as being dependent wholly on pure luck.

The "Comunitaria" decree (February 2011) was a real breakthrough for the gambling industry in Italy. It provided regulations for cash poker games and casino games and also anchored changes introduced in the previous version of the decree. One of its most notable aspects was the new tax regime based on profits rather than on the turnover. A flat rate of 20% was to be applied to all newly legalized games, except video lottery games. Operators organizing sports and horse betting, lotteries, and skill games still had to pay 3% of total tournament buy-ins sold.

Also, the new decree obliged operators to pay back to players at least 90% of wagered money in the form of winnings. The maximum buy-in for a poker tournament was set at €250 and the maximum initial stake for each gaming session could not exceed €1,000.[8]

## Online gambling

[edit]

Liberalization of the Italian online gambling market gradually started in 2006, when, following complaints received in 2003, the European Commission investigated the case and started infringement proceedings against Italy. The reason for such action was very stringent Italian legislation prohibiting even legitimate European gambling operators from offering their online services in Italy. Only the Italian National Olympic Committee (CONI) and the National Horse Breeders Enhancement Society (UNIRE) were allowed to arrange sports betting offline and online. Websites run by other operators were blocked, to prevent Italians from using them.[9]

As of November 2006, the blacklist of websites that didn't have Italian licenses and should have been blocked, contained 621 websites (including sites run by operators licensed in other EU states). Since the Italian authorities didn't notify the EC about this list, the country violated EU Directive 98/34/EC (on provision of information in the field of technical standards and regulations).[10] Also, when prohibiting the functioning of any foreign operators, Italian authorities referred to the criminal law. According to this law, organising a game of chance in a public place or a private club was forbidden and could result in imprisonment and monetary sanction. Such activities required a special license and police authorization. However, this approach was not compatible with the principles of the EEC Treaty concerning the freedom of establishment and the freedom to provide cross-border services (Articles 43 et seq. and 49).[11]

After the EC brought infringement proceedings against Italy, in 2009, Italian authorities notified the Commission of amendments made to the gambling law.[9]

Since March 2010, when the new law came into power, foreign gambling operators have been able to launch online real-money games. Before offering their services to Italian citizens, they were obligated to get an Italian license. AAMS (Amministrazione Autonoma dei Monopoli di Stato – Autonomous Administration of State Monopolies) is the Italian gaming authority that issues licenses. The licenses cover:

* skill games
* tournament and solitaire poker games
* cash poker games
* casino games
* fixed-odds and totalisator sports, horse and other events betting
* horse pools
* bingo

To qualify for an online gambling license, all operators must provide evidence that they meet certain requirements. These include financial, technical, social, and other aspects of the business. To be granted a license, the company has to:

* manage games in Europe with a turnover of no less than €1,500,000 in the last 2 years
* function at a high technical level, providing stable, secure, and easy-to-use services
* be incorporated as a limited company
* have reliable administration members
* have its official residence and technical support in one of the EU countries
* pay €350,000 to AAMS for technical management, administration, and supervision.[12]

The number of licenses that can be issued by AAMS is limited to 120.[13]

## Lottery

[edit]

SuperEnalotto jackpot display board (July 2008)

SISAL holds the national SuperEnalotto, a lottery with one of the highest jackpots and one of the lowest odds in the world. There are other regional lotteries, some with centuries of history. The smorfia is a traditional method to pick numbers based on dreams, news events, or recommendations of "gifted" people.

## Initiatives against gambling

[edit]

One of the initiatives to keep Italians from gambling is the school program BetOnMath, [14] where three mathematicians try to demonstrate to school students how the gambling industry works. Some 250 math teachers already work with the program.

## List of casinos

[edit]

* Casino Municipale di Campione d'Italia
* Casino Municipale di Sanremo
* Casino Municipale di Venezia (Summer Casino)
* Casino Municipale di Venezia (Winter Casino)
* Casino de la Vallee

## References

[edit]

1. ^ "Backgammon: Origins and Evolution".
2. ^ "Ridotto: Birth of the Modern Casino". 25 April 2023.
3. ^ "The Academy, Volume 41 page 207". Google Books. 1892. Retrieved 23 March 2017.
4. ^ "Dictionnaire de la conversation et de la lecture page 336". Bibliotheque nationale de France. Retrieved 23 March 2017.
5. ^ "Who Invented Bingo? The Game's History". Who invented elementor page builder.
6. ^ "Gambling and Betting Industry Under Italian Law". Archived from the original on 26 April 2012. Retrieved 29 November 2011.
7. ^ "Online Gambling Regulation in Italy". Archived from the original on 15 September 2012. Retrieved 29 November 2011.
8. ^ "Gaming Licenses and Casino Games – What You Need To Know". Archived from the original on 7 July 2012. Retrieved 29 November 2011.
9. ^ a b "Online gambling: barriers removed in Italy". European Commission – European Commission.
10. ^ "New EU Challenge to Online Gambling Restrictions". Archived from the original on 4 May 2012. Retrieved 16 November 2011.
11. ^ "Italian gambling ban breaks EU law, rules European Court • The Register".
12. ^ Gambling License in Italy[usurped]
13. ^ "Gaming Jurisdictions: Italy".
14. ^ "BetOnMath". BetOnMath. Retrieved 22 November 2015.

## External links

[edit]

* Agenzia Dogane Monopoli official website

* v
* t
* e

Italy articles

History|

| Overview|

* Timeline of Italian history

|

By topic|

* Citizenship
* Currency and coinage
* Economy
* Fashion
* Flags
* Genetic
* Historic states
* Judaism
* LGBT
* Military
* Music
* Name
* Postage
* Railways

Prehistory|

* Prehistory
* Neolithic
* Villanovan
* Terramare
* Rinaldone
* Apennine
* Nuragic
* Golasecca
* Canegrate
* Latial

Ancient|

* Ancient peoples
* Italic peoples
* Latins
* Osci
* Picentes
* Samnites
* Umbri
* Veneti
* Etruscans
* Celts
* Magna Graecia
* Ligures
* Messapians
* Ancient Rome
* Kingdom
* Republic
* Roman conquest
* Roman Italy
* Empire
* Western Empire

Middle Ages|

* Middle Ages
* Italy under Odoacer
* Ostrogoths
* Byzantium
* Lombards
* Papal States
* the Holy Roman Empire
* the Sardinian Judicates
* Arabs
* Normans
* Guelphs and Ghibellines
* Lombard League
* Kingdom of Sicily
* War of the Sicilian Vespers
* Kingdom of Naples

Early modern|

* Italian city-states
* Florence
* Siena
* Milan
* Maritime republics
* Venice
* Genoa
* Pisa
* Amalfi
* Kingdom of Sardinia
* Grand Duchy of Tuscany
* Duchy of Savoy
* Renaissance
* Italian Wars
* Early Modern period
* Napoleonic Italy
* Austrian occupation and Kingdom of Lombardy-Venetia
* Kingdom of the Two Sicilies

Late modern|

* Unification
* First War of Independence
* Second War of Independence
* Niçard exodus
* Expedition of the Thousand
* Proclamation of the Kingdom of Italy
* Third War of Independence
* Capture of Rome
* Monarchy and the World Wars
* Kingdom of Italy
* Colonial Empire
* World War I
* Fourth War of Independence
* Fascist Italy
* World War II
* Fall of the Fascist regime
* Resistance and Social Republic
* Civil War

Contemporary|

* Republic
* Institutional referendum
* Istrian–Dalmatian exodus
* Economic Boom
* Years of Lead
* Maxi Trial
* Mani pulite
* Coronavirus pandemic

Geography|

* Italian geographical region
* Peninsula
* Climate
* Climate change
* Geology
* Fauna
* Flora
* Mountains
* Prealps
* Alps
* Apennines
* Volcanism
* Volcanoes
* Beaches
* Canals
* Caves
* Earthquakes
* Islands
* Lakes
* Marine protected areas
* National parks
* Regional parks
* Rivers
* Valleys

Politics|

* Constitution
* Elections
* Foreign relations
* Government
* Human rights
* LGBT rights
* Judiciary
* Law
* Law enforcement
* Military
* Nationality
* Parliament
* Political parties
* President (List)
* Prime Minister (List)
* Council of Ministers
* Regions
* Provinces
* Metropolitan cities
* Cities
* Comune
* Municipalities
* Security and intelligence

Economy|

* Economy
* Italian regions by GDP
* Agriculture
* Automotive industry
* Banking
* Banks
* Central Bank
* Brands
* Companies
* Energy
* Exports
* Science and technology
* Southern question
* Stock exchange
* Taxation
* Telecommunications
* Tourism
* Trade unions
* Transport
* air
* rail
* road
* Welfare
* Wine

Society|

* Aristocracy
* Censorship
* Corruption
* Crime
* Demographics
* Education
* Emigration and diaspora
* Gambling
* Health
* Healthcare
* Immigration
* Inventions and discoveries
* Italians
* People
* Languages
* Italian
* Regional
* Life expectancy
* Orders, decorations, and medals
* Poverty
* Prostitution
* Public administration
* Racism
* Religion
* Social class
* Terrorism
* Water supply and sanitation
* Women

Culture|

* Duecento
* Trecento
* Quattrocento
* Cinquecento
* Seicento
* Settecento
* Ottocento
* Anthem
* Architecture
* Art
* Castles
* Cathedrals
* Cinema
* Coat of arm
* Cuisine
* Design
* Fashion
* Flag
* Folklore
* Gardens
* Internet
* Italophilia
* Libraries
* Literature
* Media
* Museums
* Music
* Mythology
* National symbols
* Palaces
* Philosophy
* Public holidays
* Sport
* Television
* Theatre
* Traditions
* World Heritage Sites

*  Italy portal
* Category

* v
* t
* e

Gambling

Gambling terminology

Venues|

* Casino
* List
* Online casino
* Cardroom
* Racino
* Riverboat casino

Science|

| Mathematics|

* Gambling mathematics
* Mathematics of bookmaking
* Poker probability

|

Strategies|

* Advantage gambling
* Card counting
* Dice control
* Asian handicap
* Due Column betting
* Labouchère system
* Martingale

By region|

| Africa|

* Angola
* Nigeria
* South Africa

|

Asia|

* Bangladesh
* Cambodia
* China
* Hong Kong
* Macau
* India
* Japan
* Pakistan
* Philippines
* Manila
* Russia
* Singapore
* Taiwan
* Thailand
* Turkey
* Vietnam

Europe|

* Estonia
* France
* Italy
* Norway
* Russia
* Turkey
* Ukraine
* United Kingdom

North America|

* Mexico
* United States
* Canada
* Quebec
* Ontario
* BC
* Western Canada
* Atlantic Canada

Oceania|

* Australia
* New Zealand

South America|

Brazil

Games|

* Casino game
* Game of chance
* Game of skill
* List of bets

Issues|

* Gaming law
* Problem gambling
* Video game addiction

* Category
* Commons
* Wiktionary
* WikiProject

*[v]: View this template
*[t]: Discuss this template
*[e]: Edit this template