Italian senator proposes exemptions for historic amusement machines

Senator Erika Stefani (Lega) has presented a bill to amend article 110 of the Tulps, Italy's consolidated public security law, on historic, vintage or culturally significant amusement machines. The bill has not yet been assigned to a committee.

The bill covers machines including arcade cabinets, video games, consoles, simulators, pinball machines, table football and electromechanical machines whose design and initial production predate 31 December 1999. Its aim is to exempt such devices, under certain conditions, from conformity certification, the nulla osta and the other requirements that article 110 sets for machines without cash prizes.

The exemption would depend on specific conditions, including a ban on direct or indirect payment for each individual play. The conditions also include the absence of prizes or winnings with an economic value. Use would be limited to the planned events or the permanent activities of cultural bodies. Continuous operation of public gaming and travelling-show activities would be excluded. If these conditions were breached, the machines would again be subject to the ordinary administrative obligations. Payment of an entry ticket to the event or museum would not count as payment for using the machine.

According to the bill's text, current rules were designed for machines in current production for commercial use and impose burdens that are often disproportionate or impossible to meet for historic devices. The text says this affects museums, cultural associations, collectors and event organisers, exposing them to the risk of sanctions even where use is purely cultural, educational or for display. The proposal states that it aims to keep a public safety safeguard and prevent circumvention of gaming rules.