Dignity Decree

Approved on April 18, 2019, the Dignity Decree introduced important provisions against gambling advertising in Italy, both online and offline. More stringent regulation was adopted in response to the increase in cases of gambling addiction in Italy, which in 2018 reached 2.6% of adults.

This means that approximately 1.5 million people in the peninsula suffered from an addiction. If ignored, the disorder, characterized by obsessive behavior, is a potential cause of serious personal consequences, in terms of personal, family and social life.

The measure ordered by the national authority complies with the principle of combating gambling addiction. The legislative text issued established that industry operators have the right to provide exclusively descriptive information on products and services.

For example, they have the right to provide technical data of a slot machine or the functioning of the available promotions. However, other forms that can be traced back to mere advertising are prohibited, such as:

• Television, radio and paper commercials.
• Social media campaigns.

Sponsorship of sporting events

Following the Dignity Decree, important clarifications have also been made regarding sporting events. With the same purposes indicated above, the package of measures attempts to safeguard the interests of consumers. Specifically, it protects vulnerable categories, such as minors and people with addiction problems.

In fact, gambling advertising risks being very aggressive, in the absence of accurate limitations. Setting limits allows us to avoid irresponsible conduct on the part of users. The guidelines of the legislation are clarified by the Communications Regulatory Authority (AGCOM), which only allows the following types of communication:

• Online signs and domains of the various operators.
• Informative communications relating to gambling operators based exclusively on the characteristics of the products and services, such as jackpots, odds or probability of winning.
• Free indexing services made available by marketplaces and search engines, provided that the user has made an express request for them.

Regarding sponsorships of sporting events, the Dignity Decree has placed a ban on sponsorships by sports betting operators towards events or teams of Serie A (the top Italian championship) and any other minor league.

Therefore, from 1 July 2019 it is forbidden to display the logos of betting companies both on the players’ shirts and on the sidelines. Regarding international events, such as the Premier League, La Liga and the Champions League, TVs that broadcast the matches are strictly obliged to obscure any logos of operators sponsoring the teams.

Ban on gambling advertising with the Dignity Decree

The ban on gambling advertising is a concrete measure, dictated by cases of gambling addiction. However, the discipline must be applied rigorously, in order for it to be effective. AGCOM is responsible for implementing a correct and in-depth surveillance campaign regarding compliance with the Dignity Decree, imposing sanctions on offenders.

It is still too early to say with certainty whether or not the advertising ban has achieved its intended goals. However, some reports have found that it has led to a reduction in gambling consumption, especially among young people.

For example, in a study conducted by the Istituto Superiore di Sanità, following the ban, gambling consumption decreased by 20% among young people aged 14 to 19.

However, the ban has also had a significant effect on the sector. Several companies have given up sponsorships of football teams, one of the main forms of visibility for their brand.

In general, the directive has led to a reduction in investments in the sports sector. The players in the supply chain have therefore rejected the maneuver, as it is guilty of negatively impacting the economy and free competition. But the Government has defined the protection of consumers, especially minors and vulnerable subjects, as essential.