SBC News Voice of the Sports Betting Industry
Speaking to national media, Lega MP Giancarlo Giorgetti – Italy’s current undersecretary for sports – has stated that the Lega-5Star coalition government will likely implement a ban on amateur sports wagering.
Giorgetti underlines that Lega-5Star’s ‘Dignity Decree’ mandate on reforming Italian society has solely impacted betting/gambling operators at a market level, but that tougher policies are needed to wipe-out sports corruption.
The sports secretary’s comments follow an investigation by the Corriere della Sera newspaper, which revealed that wagers had been accepted by ADM-licensed bookmakers on markets involving ‘amateur classified’ and underage athletes.
Corriere della Sera’s investigation comes as Lega-5Star pressure Italian Economic Minister Giovanni Tria to place the ADM as Italian gambling regulator under review.
Updating the media, Giorgetti states that coalition government is ‘ready to take action’ on the matter, further outlining that Lega-5Star have consulted the Magglingen Convention to draw provisions on preventing, identifying and punishing sports manipulations attached to sports betting.
“The issue is particularly close to my heart,” said Giorgetti. “We have partially faced the problem by adopting the Dignity Decree. I aim to ban the bets on amateur sports because amateurs and young people are more vulnerable.
“Do consumers want to bet? That’s fine, but only on professional sports, for obvious reasons. I am in touch with Benedetto Mineo, Managing Director at the Agency of Customs and Monopolies, to set up new rules on this issue. I am convinced that we will achieve a result, but of course, it is a rocky road.”
Moving forward, Italian betting and sports representatives will likely demand that Lega-5Star clarify the board terminology attached to defining amateur sports and athlete classifications.
