ACMI urges impact review of 2027 budget gambling taxes on AWP and VLT operators

ACMI has asked Italy's government and parliament to accompany public gambling measures in the 2027 budget law with an assessment of their impact on supply-chain margins, companies' investment capacity and the competitiveness of AWP and VLT machines. The association proposed an institutional discussion to link revenue decisions to a path of innovation and player protection.

Gennaro Parlati, president of ACMI, said revenue sustainability also depends on the strength of the legal network and the companies that make it up. He said assessing a new charge means considering its effects on the whole supply chain, on the resources available to develop products and on the ability of machines to compete with other gambling offers.

ACMI said the analysis should distinguish the economic characteristics of different products and channels, taking into account management costs and the investment needed for technological development. Expected effects on revenue should be examined together with possible consequences for stakes collected and for the margins of the different parts of the supply chain, according to the association.

Alongside its intervention on the budget measures, ACMI proposed work drawing on the expertise of builders, manufacturers and developers. The association said this would cover the evolution of machines and the testing of solutions to verify age and encourage informed gambling choices, with results measured against shared criteria and within the regulatory framework.

Parlati said machines must offer a competitive gambling experience and support the economy of the authorised network, and that innovation must pursue these objectives together with the protection of minors and consumers. He said stable rules and conditions are needed to allow companies to invest in that direction.

ACMI asked for a dedicated discussion with the government and parliament, involving ADM and industry representatives, to examine the economic effects of the measures under study and to define objectives and criteria for verifying the technology proposals. The association offered its industrial expertise to contribute to the process.

Parlati said ACMI remains available to contribute to the country's public finances, provided companies are assured of economic sustainability, adequate profitability and certainty of rules. He said preserving the capacity to invest, innovate and support employment is part of the same general interest.