The Federazione Italiana Esercenti Gioco Legale presents to the Italian Government its proposals for the phase of end of confinement by Covid-19

The Federazione Italiana Esercenti Gioco Legale, a member of Confesercenti, has contributed with its considerations to the document with the proposals for the post-emergency Covid-19 restart, presented by the Confederation to the Government, the Scientific Technical Committee for Phase 2 and the Regions. The Covid-19 emergency management regulations issued during this period sanctioned the complete suspension of the legal gaming collection throughout Italy, with the sole exception of the sale of Scratch Cards in the Tobacconists' channel.

The state of emergency that the legal gaming sector in Italy is experiencing imposes a series of reflections on new ways of attending gaming venues, as well as the use of gaming products, to be implemented at the time of the resumption of activities, also in light of what emerges from the first analysis carried out by the Technical Scientific Committee for the economic reconstruction of the country - Phase 2.

The table summarizing the classes of risk and social aggregation, relative to the post-emergency restart phase Covid - 19, published in the online press, attributes to the activities concerning lotteries, betting and casinos (Ateco code R- 92) a class of social aggregation equal to 4 (maximum level) with a consequent integrated risk class of medium-high level; considering the perception of such a high evaluation, the gaming sector runs the risk of a particularly delayed reopening compared to other types of exercises.

In light of the above, a series of reflections aimed at limiting the level of social aggregation as much as possible with a consequent reduction in the risk of potential contagion within the stores are reported.

The following two considerations should be addressed separately according to the points of sale to which they refer and specifically:

• specialised gaming points of sale, i.e. with prevalent gaming activities (e.g.: betting rooms, bingo rooms, dedicated Slots and VLT and gaming rooms);
• generalist gaming outlets, i.e. with ancillary gaming activities (e.g.: bars, tobacco shops, newsagents).

The specialized stores, due to their nature of places totally dedicated to the game, are generally characterized by very large surfaces and therefore are easily able, following a reorganization of the internal spaces, to comply with any provision that will be provided by the Government in order to minimize the risk of contagion; it should also be added that the attendance of these places can be easily contingent with an access control of the premises, introducing a maximum level of simultaneous presence of people inside the premises, according to the square meters of the latter.

If to the above is added the possibility of imposing on customers, and easy control, the use of safety devices that the Government deems appropriate to adopt in public places, it is believed that the value referred to the social aggregation class mentioned above can significantly decrease with positive effects on the restarting of activities, equating them with respect to activities to which a lower level of risk has been attributed.

With reference, however, to gaming activities at generalist points of sale, the legal gaming sector leaves to the associations of reference the considerations relating to the measures that can be implemented for each specific product category (e.g. bars, tobacconists, newsagents , etc.). However, it is represented that the accessory gaming activity, within the aforementioned points, basically consists of two main categories:

• so-called counter games, i.e. lotto, superenalotto, betting, scratch cards etc.
• entertainment devices, namely Slots.

For the first category, the problems related to the sale of the game are the same as those for the distribution of any other counter product (e.g. candy, coffee, cigarettes etc.).

For the second category, on the other hand, it is believed that, in order to implement a risk reduction mechanism, the criteria of social distancing must be rigorously respected, that is, the distance of at least one meter between one slot and the other, or alternatively the installation antidroplet panels, or the positioning of the Slot "from behind" with each other; it is also believed that these measures accompanied by the use of individual protective devices (masks and gloves), the sanitization of the slots and the provision of sanitizers near them, can provide an adequate level of contrast to the infection.