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ARTICLE · 02 MARCH 2006

Italian Government Blacklists Foreign Betting Websites

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Under Italian law, gaming is divided into two categories: (i) "prohibited games" such as poker, chemin de fer, roulette (which can be organized only in Italian casinos – in Venice, Saint Vincent, San Remo, Campione d'Italia, each licensed by a specific law); and (ii) "licensable games" (betting, lottery, bingo). "Licensable" games fall within the State's monopoly.

ItalyAntitrust/Competition Law
Francesco Portolano
Francesco Portolano

Under Italian law, gaming is divided into two categories: (i) "prohibited games" such as poker, chemin de fer, roulette (which can be organized only in Italian casinos – in Venice, Saint Vincent, San Remo, Campione d'Italia, each licensed by a specific law); and (ii) "licensable games" (betting, lottery, bingo). "Licensable" games fall within the State's monopoly.

Licensable games may only be organized by operators having secured a license by the Italian Monopolies Authority. "Unauthorized" gaming operators are subject to criminal liability and administrative fines.

This legal framework is clearly obsolete (and simply not really functioning) with respect to online gaming, since non-Italian operators can (and do) provide gaming and betting services to Italian residents, but without any physical connection with the Italian territory.

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