Scratch and win: tickets canceled due to theft
(Jamma) Codacons has appealed to the Lazio Regional Administrative Court against yet another arcade opened in Rome. The room in question is located in a residential neighborhood and located in a commercial space on the street, and is recognizable from the outside thanks to stickers affixed to the windows that explicitly advertise the place - explains the association - The windows of the room are all obscured by the presence of such adhesives, which do not allow the filtering of light inside. The other rooms inside the room also appear to lack natural lighting, and are characterized by the deafening noise of the gaming machines and the intense light they emit.
"The halls appear too lit to cause dizziness and headaches to patrons on duty, with hyperventilation due to the absence of windows, there is the possibility, without checking the age of majority of the patron, to ingest alcoholic substances, the environment overall suitable for creating a psychophysical imbalance in the player - Codacons writes in the appeal - The player who enters the room loses track of time and suffers a clouding of his faculties in consideration of the environment in which he finds himself. This situation exponentially increases the risk of developing compulsive attitudes towards gambling, up to the possible onset of the pathology. Therefore, the contested licenses are in contrast not only with the aforementioned technical standards, which establish precise requirements in terms of information on the risks of gaming and the sanitary conditions of the halls, as well as light and ventilation, but also with the art. 29, 32 and 97 of the Constitution. Furthermore, the presence of the Vlt room in a residential neighborhood has detrimental effects on the urban context, traffic and public peace, causing an increase in users, negative economic effects for families and overloading for municipal assistance.
The contested authorization provisions are in contrast with the interests protected by all the recent legislative provisions on the subject of amusement arcades and gambling.
Not only. The appeal continues: "The Lazio Region has established that game rooms cannot be located within a radius of 300 meters of schools, youth centres, residential or semi-residential structures operating in the health or social care sector, also providing for the display informative material at the entrance to the halls with which to explain which risks are related to gambling and which centers and structures it is possible to go to for help (with the installation of devices inside the halls capable of limiting the time and amount of play) . With the establishment of an "anti-minor" card.
Well: near the room in question, among others, are located - all less than 300 meters as the crow flies - the ARS MEDICA in Via Ferrero di Cambiano Cesare, 29, the public schools Scuola Media Statale Francesco Saverio Nitti located in Via Severio Nitti, 61, the Beauty Shopping.It By Timeservice Srl Via Ferdinando Galiani, 54, the Nuova Medica Flaminia Via Cassia Nuova, 48, the Euclide Center in Via Flaminia Nuova".
The Codacons therefore asks the Lazio Regional Administrative Court to annul, subject to suspension, the provisions with which the Rome Police Headquarters, the Municipality of Rome, the Ministry of the Economy and the State Monopolies have authorised, issuing the consequent licenses and authorisations, the opening of the Games Room and VLT in question".
