Italian budget bill proposes fixed charges for LAN gaming venues
Regulation2 min read
An opinion column on an Italian gaming industry site criticised proposed regulation and taxation of LAN gaming venues in the budget bill, while supporting a dedicated authorisation regime. The columnist calculated that a venue with 20 PCs, five games and one platform would pay €25,000 every two years, plus fixed ISI charges; the column also cited a government projection of 2,300 venues and 46,000 stations by 2028, generating €66 million.
Italy's government intends to regulate LAN gaming venues through the budget bill, with a proposed tax regime criticised as excessive in an opinion column on an Italian gaming industry site. The columnist supported dedicated authorisation and regulation for the venues.
The columnist cited an unnamed calculation that a venue with 20 PCs, five games and one platform would pay €25,000 every two years, plus 8% in ISI tax. The calculation put the additional ISI charges at €1,200 a year per PC and €2,000 per simulator, regardless of revenue.
The budget bill's technical report said established case law had found LAN equipment substantially comparable to amusement machines without cash prizes. The government envisaged a mature sector in 2028 with 2,300 venues and 46,000 stations, yielding €66 million. Stati Generali put the starting point at roughly thirty venues and fewer than 600 stations.
The columnist estimated that self-certification for existing venues would be valid until about October 2027, based on eight months allowed for ADM to adopt an implementing decree and a 60-day tolerance period. The columnist said no new LAN venues could open during that period and existing operators would have only 60 days to submit self-certification. The columnist identified a public security licence under Article 86 and the qualification of online gaming platforms and their games as points of uncertainty in the self-certification. The columnist said existing venues might have to close at the start of 2027 until they obtained a licence, while food and drink businesses with LAN venues might be able to submit a municipal SCIA notification. Even a simple listing of platforms and games would involve responsibility for hardware compliance, the columnist said.