The Italian Senate’s Culture Commission has approved a resolution urging the government to amend the rules on money-prize gaming, which have been in place since 2018.
On Wednesday, March 5, the Italian Senate’s Culture and Education Commission approved a resolution urging the government to reform football regulations in Italy, specifically by modifying the ban on sports betting and gambling advertising.
This ban was introduced in 2018 by the first government of Giuseppe Conte through the “Dignity Decree”, which prohibited any form of sponsorship or advertising from betting companies in media and sporting events. However, many companies have managed to bypass this restriction through indirect advertising on sports news portals.
Divided Opinions in the Senate
The decision has sparked political controversy. While the Five Star Movement and the Democratic Party have criticized the resolution, arguing that it fails to address gambling addiction, government-supporting parties like Fratelli d’Italia have defended the measure, claiming it will help reform football regulations effectively.
The approved resolution does not explicitly lift the sports betting advertising ban but suggests a possible modification. Among the proposals included in the document is the allocation of a portion of sports betting revenue to football league organizers.
Specifically, at least 1% of sports betting revenue would be earmarked for stadium construction and renovations. Additionally, the government could allocate an additional share to fund sports, social, and educational projects, provided they focus on:
- Development of youth academies
- Sports infrastructure
- Promotion of women’s football
- Gambling addiction prevention and anti-discrimination efforts in sports
The government has six months, until September 5, 2025, to submit a report to the relevant parliamentary commissions outlining the legislative actions taken to implement the
resolution’s recommendations.
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