AGSI's Guitto urges Italy to earmark legal gambling taxes
Regulation1 min read
AGSI vice-president Antonio Guitto urged Italy's lawmakers to direct taxes and levies from legal gambling towards public-interest causes rather than general taxation. He said changes to products and more entertainment in physical venues would not, by themselves, improve the sector's public reputation.
AGSI vice-president Antonio Guitto has urged Italy’s lawmakers to earmark taxes and levies from legal gambling for community and public-interest purposes rather than general taxation. He said identifying how the money is used would help the sector regain credibility with institutions and the public.
Guitto said each euro allocated should have a specified purpose even if an agreement is reached with local authorities on the distribution of physical gambling venues. He referred to about 12 billion in gambling tax revenue, without specifying a currency or period, and said taxpayers should be told how it is spent.
Responding to an interview with Raffaele Palmieri, Guitto agreed that products should be reconsidered and entertainment strengthened in physical venues, but said that alone would not change negative perceptions of the sector. He said physical venues had a shortage of products and could not offer 10eLotto or Gratta e Vinci.
Spain’s ONCE has run a lottery established to support people with visual disabilities for nearly a hundred years, Guitto said. He also pointed to Lottomatica’s continuing association in the public imagination with the state and public-interest initiatives, including through facilities such as PalaLottomatica.