Italian Regulators Cracking Down On Unlicensed Online Casinos

Italy has had great success in the liberalization of its internet gambling industry and wants to keep it going without the intrusion of so called illegal online gambling operators. The regulatory body that governs the industry in Italy is called the Independent Administration of State Monopolies (Amministrazione Autonoma dei Monopoli di Stato),wants to make sure Italians are safe from unregistered and blacklisted online gambling operators and are warning customers to stay away for these sites.

The Independent Administration of State Monopolies is demanding that transactions made by players or firms with the blacklisted online casinos must be reported by all banks, fund processors and other financial institutions. The Independent Administration of State Monopolies, chief, Francesco Rodano, commented recently that the licensing board wants to put in place a number of measures backed by a new law the will make all financial records available to the government including the identity of players who utilize unlicensed offshore casinos and gambling web sites. Italy is trying to prevent a similar situation to that which just happened in the USA when Department of Justice Officials cracked down on Full Tilt Poker and Absolute Poker.

It has been reported that Full Tilt was on the verge of getting a license to operate in the Italian jurisdiction, prompting The Independent Administration of State Monopolies to take more drastic actions to ensure a safe environment for punters in Italy. It goes without saying that Italy is in a protectionist mode that has vast implications both legally and financial for the country as well as operators and consumers. Illegal online websites are hard to ignore when they offer better odds and more variety. The freedoms of the internet gambler are being eroded by the Italian government wanting their slice of the betting action. Italy has a good system that is generating a lot of money for the tax coffers and the Independent Administration of State Monopolies will do whatever it can to ensure that continues.