Italy was one of the first countries to be shut down by the worldwide Covid-19 outbreak, and move swiftly to shut down businesses and require Italians to shelter in place. Now the country is preparing to reopen, but casinos may struggle to recover following a two-month shutdown.
According to CDC Gaming Reports, first quarter revenue figures published by Italy’s customs and monopolies agency (ADM) demonstrate the staggering blow sustained by the gaming industry, which recorded just 10 days of wagering activity during March before the country closed.
March online betting revenues decreased to €49 million ($53.2 million), down 43 percent from February. The retail side took a gut punch, with Italian betting shops posting total GGR of just €26 million, a decline of 73 percent from the previous month.
There were a few notable increases in March: ADM figures would show a that online gambling spend (casino and poker) grew by one-third to €120 million over February, which pulled in €90 million.
As reported by iGamingBusiness.com, Italian bookmaker Newgioco Group will begin reopening physical locations across the country, but it won’t be business as usual. The shops will be equipped with personal protection equipment “utility stands,” giving staff and customers access to antiseptic hand gel, face masks and gloves.
