Italy’s top legislator has pledged to pursue a nearly one-third reduction in the number of gaming machines in bars, cafes, newsagents and hotels.
Earlier this week, Prime Minister Matteo Renzi gave an interview to a local magazine in which he claimed his administration was “developing a measure to remove [slots] from tobacconists and shops” in a bid to lessen gaming’s impact on youth and other vulnerable segments of society.
Economic undersecretary Pier Paolo Baretta followed up this statement by saying the government planned “a reorganization which takes into account social demand and therefore provides for a drastic reduction of [amusement with prizes machines] in the territory, accounting for 30 percent.”
Baretta said the government would target slots based on their physical proximity to “sensitive places,” presumably referring to the traditional schools, churches, etc. Baretta said the goal was to “find a solution that does not call into question the choices made so far by local authorities but make them compatible with a more comprehensive regulatory framework.”