AAMS decides the end of the game

HI,

Gambling licenses have recently been renewed for a select group of companies, the largest ones.

After all, who can afford a 7 million euro license?

They say the market is safer now because only the strongest companies can share the market.

In reality, the new scenario has eliminated all those small businesses, full of ideas and initiatives, which had guaranteed a modicum of competitiveness and competition.

It was certainly an indigestible condition for some large groups that were periodically forced to acquire emerging companies.

This new scenario certainly does not favor the players.

There's a lot of talk about responsible gaming, protecting people, and curbing addiction... it's all just smoke and mirrors.

In fact, in such a non-competitive context, companies can afford to reduce their offerings and the state will soon increase the online tax.

As if that weren't enough, there are increasingly frequent cases in which companies withhold the winnings of some players under the pretext of carrying out checks.

A gaming environment has been created that has the sole purpose of emptying people's pockets by taking advantage of addictions.

And on the rare occasions when you do manage to win, you're not sure you'll get your money back.

I completely see what you mean. When only the biggest companies can even afford a license, it’s not really a “safer market”. It’s just a smaller one, where regulators basically decide who gets to stay at the table. And like you said, that ends up shutting out all those smaller operators that actually brought competition, new ideas, and better player-focused features.

Fewer choices, higher taxes, reduced offers, and then on top of that, the increasing number of withdrawal delays under the excuse of “checks”… It’s hard not to feel that the system works mainly in favor of the big groups and the state.

Whatever happened to "players come first?" Isn't everything supposed to be about players?!

Consider that the concessions that the state has just awarded are valid for nine years.

Therefore, in the meantime, there is no possibility that new companies, even economically strong ones, could decide to invest in the Italian market.

Add to that the fact that there is already a group (Lottomatica) that alone holds over 30% of sports betting and casino gaming for the online channel.

In fact, there is one entity that holds a predominant position and has discouraged many from participating in the acquisition of a license to operate on the Italian gaming market.

Lottomatica is a company that has demonstrated its strength in the recent past.

Recently, due to the lack of competitors and without a tender, it managed to obtain the renewal of its concession for instant lottery games (scratch and win).

As a player, the thing that worries me most is that the remaining companies could expect margins from the online sector similar to those existing in physical gaming.

Currently, slot machines in arcades retain between 25% and 30%, while online ones retain between 4% and 10% depending on the provider.

If companies didn't demand adjustments, the government would tax the winnings, as already happens with lottery and lotteries.

Obviously, companies and the government would make these levies in the name of protecting gamblers, to curb gambling addiction.

When one company starts to hold that much of the market, like Lottomatica you mentioned, it’s not just a little worrying, it’s pretty alarming. It feels like we’re heading toward a situation where players don’t even have a choice anymore. 

As for the "responsible gaming" rhetoric. Yeah, it all sounds nice in theory. But let’s be real, it’s easier for regulators to slap a badge of "protection" on things than actually fix the underlying issues. 

On the point of taxes, I totally agree. It’s all about making sure the state gets its cut. The government's probably rubbing its hands together at the thought of how much revenue this will generate, but at what cost? If taxes keep rising and margins get smaller, the online gambling scene could start looking like a ghost of its former self.

Makes you wonder- what happens when the big companies decide they’ve had enough, or the players don’t feel like it’s worth it anymore?