Goal is to reduce, not relocate slots
The government of Italy says it will reduce the number of slot machines in cafes, bars and hotels by 30 percent. According to Prime Minister Matteo Renzi, the move is meant to reduce the negative impact of gambling on young people, compulsive gamblers and the poor.
Pier Paolo Baretta, the country’s economic undersecretary, added that the government will target slots located near “sensitive places” such as churches and schools. Baretta said the government plans “a reorganization which takes into account social demand and therefore provides for a drastic reduction of machines.”
He said the goal is to “find a solution that does not call into question the choices made so far by local authorities but make them compatible with a more comprehensive regulatory framework.” Those machines will not be shifted to other locations, he added but “reduce the overall supply.”
Italy’s four land-based casinos generated revenue of €203 million (US$227 million) over the first eight months of 2016, with slots accounting for 61 percent of the total take, reported CalvinAyre.com.
