atypical Role model Italy has shown what a progressive online gaming policy can achieve. It’s not a
perfect model by any stretch of the imagination, but it’s one of the best examples operating in Europe to date and is a catalyst for change across the EU.
Isn’t life ironic? Who would have thought Italy, after taking three long years to liberalise its domestic gaming market and implement an online legislation, would now be the model student in the remote gaming playing field.
In the early days Italy had an interesting on-off type relationship with online gaming. It went from the extreme measure of banning all IP addresses of online gaming sites to then trying to set up an ‘exclusive’ licence with an online poker room just days later.
It has however over the last few years progressively regulated its online industry and in doing so has created a competitive and profitable sector and is now a shining example of successful regulation for other European countries to base themselves on.
Prior to 2005 online operations in Italy were carried out via dot com websites without the need to adhere to a legal framework. Then in 2006 a decree set up a framework which meant operators would need to obtain a licence from the AAMS to operate and in 2009 further modifications were added to ensure licences were issued to Italian corporate entities, the systems were monitored, taxes were paid and non licensed operators could be sued.
Finally Italy had regulated its online industry and as such became one of the first markets in
italy is hailed as the GReatest online GaminG
maRket in euRope with a maRket
value in 2010 of €4.8Bn.
Europe to do so. It began with the sports betting industry and this was followed in September 2008 by the launch of skill games (poker tournaments) and then bingo in December 2009.
The figures speak for themselves and in 2008 Italy was hailed as the greatest online gaming market in Europe with a market value of €1.4bn. This rose to €3.7bn in 2009 – a staggering 154 per cent increase and today (2010) is worth €4.8bn, a 28 per cent increase.
Tournament poker was responsible for the most of the growth in the skill gaming sector and it accounted for some 65 per cent of total online gambling turnover in Italy last year. Between them the three categories – skill games, sports betting and online bingo –
accounted for more than 96 per cent of online gaming turnover in 2010. The Italian State Monopolies Administration (AAMS) has reported the following turnover for the online gaming market:
• Sports betting fixed odd bets – total turnover of €1.3bn or 28 per cent of the market. This is a 10.8 per cent increase on 2009 with 1,627,226 active gaming accounts.
• Poker tournaments and skill games – total turnover of €3.1bn or 65 per cent of the market. This is a 34 per cent increase with a pay-out of 88.2 per cent and 2,127,864 active gaming accounts.
• Bingo games – total turnover of €146m or three per cent of the market. This has seen a big increase since its launch in December 2009 with a turnover of more than €17m achieved each month.
• Other betting and games account for €181m or four per cent of the Italian market.
• The monthly online turnover during 2010 was on average between €350m and €450m. January 2011 saw a turnover of €470m.
• The number of total active accounts stood at 4.4 million at the end of 2010 compared to 2.8 million in 2009.
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