SBC News Voice of the Sports Betting Industry
In spite of departing LOGiCO over a month ago, LeoVegas has emphasised it maintains continued contact with the Italian trade body and has a ‘great respect’ for the group’s work.
As the operator leads the fight against the Lega-5Star coalition government’s moves to implement its ban on gambling advertising, LeoVegas cited “differences in strategy and tactics” for its decision to temporarily step away from the trade body, however didn’t rule out rejoining the association in the future.
Aiming to halt the implementation of the ‘Dignity Decree’, LeoVegas is progressing with a formal complaint to the European Union; in its complaint, the firm has outlined its belief the Decree is contradictory to EU principles, arguing that a total ban on internal marketing severely hinders market access, and will therefore significantly restrict the incentive of operators from other EU states to enter the the Italian market.
Issuing an update on the current case against the implementation of the marketing ban, LeoVegas revealed to SBC: “We have reached out to the Italian government, offering our services, educating them on how we together work towards a common goal which is responsible and sane gaming.
“We continue that work and hope for the Italian government to open up for a broader discussion and understanding that we want to achieve the same thing – a sustainable market for the Italian customers. We hope that Brussels will agree with our complaint and force the Italian government into a rethink. We will continue to be a front figure and help Italy adapting a responsible gaming approach.”
