The Customs and Monopolies Agency of Italy (ADM) has announced the launch of a new app as a way to inform the public of all details connected to both retail and online licensed gambling operators. The app is set to be launched this November and it will be optimized for use on all Android and iOS devices.

Gioco Sicuro Will Keep Italian Players Secure

The official name of the new app is Gioco Sicuro, or “Safe Play” in Italian. As the ADM disclosed, thanks to Gioco Sicuro, Italian citizens will be able to check whether a certain gambling product is licensed or not but also check the compliance of outlets that are dedicated and non-dedicated.

Marcello Minenna, the Director-General of the ADM, authorized the development of the app with the aim to protect Italian players and keep them out of gambling networks that are run by the mafia. Minnenna’s main goal since 2019 has been combatting the black market.

Back then, the anti-Mafia unit known as Glassia Investigation had a major fallout with the federal police after it seized over $1.1 million (€1 million) in assets that were related to illegal gambling. Minenna was placed in charge of the tainted agency by Giuseppe Conte, the former President of Italy.

The demands that were demanded of Minenna were simple but challenging. His main duty, which remains the top priority to this day, was to mandate the reform of the oversight that ADM had over the gambling industry and focus on eliminating all forms of corruption in it.

According to Federico Cafiero De Raho, a national anti-mafia prosecutor, the turnover of the black gambling market is much more than $23 million (€20 million). He thinks that the number is “probably an underestimation.”

He added that there’s a widespread criminal network, and that is something that is worrying as it shows the infiltration skills of the mafia.

The Italian Government Still Has a Restrictive Approach

Even though the threat from the mafia is big, the government of Italy still has a restrictive approach towards governing the operators that are licensed. These operators are required to follow massive restrictions in terms of marketing and have explicit procedures through which players are verified.

The gambling stakeholders in Italy are currently waiting to see whether the 2022 Budget Law will feature any gambling amendments. Of course, they are hoping for the best because the gambling industry has suffered a lot in 2021, especially at the beginning of the year, when casinos were closed due to the pandemic.

This legislation’s make-up is considered to be critically important for the gambling industry in Italy, especially with reference to the judgment of the government on concession extensions for gaming machines, betting shops and online gaming, with the final extension date being March 31, 2022. The ADM needs to review concessions of 10,000 retail outlets/venues that primarily impact the franchisees of Lottomatica, Eurobet, Snaitech, SKS365 and Sisal.