In recent days, the proposed resolution presented by the councilor was discussed at the Perugia City Council. Marko Hromis of the Democratic Party council group regarding the modification of the articles. 10, 14 and 19 of the municipal regulation for legal gaming.
In reporting the alarming numbers of the phenomenon of legal gambling in Italy, the councilor Hromis he explained that it is the interest and responsibility of the public administration to protect the weakest subjects, in particular minors, to combat and avoid the spread of gambling-related pathologies and to keep faith with the principle of the "state reserve on the organization of games", on which the Italian model is founded.
In this context, all the regions of Italy, also with the direct involvement of the Municipal Councils and the Executives of the respective capitals, have approved laws to prevent and combat gambling disorder, committing themselves to reforming the municipal regulations that govern the legal gaming activities.
In Umbria and Perugia, in light of the sentences issued by the TAR, the conditions exist to bring forward the closing time and set it at 20pm instead of 01am, as already happens in many Umbrian and national municipalities.
For this reason Hromis proposed the following changes to the regulation in question:
to the art. 10 (location of amusement arcades) asked to include a ban on opening within 500 meters of the following structures: municipal libraries, offices of social voluntary associations, loan and pawn agencies, gold buying activities, ATMs, stations railway and bus stations.
In the articles 14pm and 19pm (times) as announced, he proposed to reduce the operating hours of the amusement arcades from 10am to 20pm (and no longer to 1am as in force).
The manager of the Municipality of Perugia Roberto Ciccarelli he recalled that already in the last council session the regulation was modified on the basis of the innovations introduced by the regional law. Regarding Hromis' proposal, he argued that: regarding the expansion of sensitive places, the Administration had identified possibilities relating to the headquarters of associations registered in the regional third sector register. The other proposed expansion solutions should be evaluated. As for the issue of opening hours, the matter had been regulated with reference, on the one hand, to the gaming houses under the authorization competence of the Municipality and, on the other, to a future disciplinary ordinance of the mayor. Citing the subsequent tar sentences, Ciccarelli underlined that this is a matter that requires great attention as important economic interests are involved; obviously the offices will carefully evaluate the political direction that the Council should give.
The deputy commander of the local police Antonella Vitali regarding the hypothesis of expansion of sensitive places, he asked for details of the same in order to avoid possible disputes.
Regarding timetables, he said that it is important to create harmonization of them for all types of activities (game rooms and VLTs).
The lawyer Francis Badolato of the Sapar association (state gaming managers) invited the commission to evaluate the advance of online gaming, while the proposal tends to further limit physical activity, which is easily controllable. Therefore there are doubts about the exclusive regulation of physical gaming, favoring the transmigration of users towards other types of gaming, especially online.
Cristiana Casaioli (Perugia Project) the modification of the regulation must be done in an accurate and participatory manner, taking into account the elements that exist in this sector, since it is an economic sector. It is important for the councilor to find a point of balance, because repression is not enough, but training tools are also needed.
Roberta Ricci (vice president of the Council-Mixed Group) recalled the importance of prevention; it is no coincidence that an amendment by Hromis on gambling was included in the protocol with the anti-usury foundation.
Ricci asked to know the reasons why Hromis modified the previous proposal which was focused on the topic of prevention.
Marko Hromis, in reply, announced the intention to specify the areas as requested by the deputy commander. In sharing the invitations of the lawyer. Badolato on the topic of online, the councilor argued that unfortunately this is not the responsibility of the Municipality of Perugia, but of the national legislator. However, he reiterated the importance of limiting the times of physical activities, because, as emerges in many other Italian cities, this has beneficial effects. A non-ideological proposal, but one that wants to send a specific signal.
He clarified to Ricci that the proposal put forward in the fourth commission contained different issues which it was necessary to keep separate and which will perhaps be presented later.
Arguing further Cristiana Casaioli underlined the importance of checking what the opening hours are in nearby municipalities, in order to avoid the phenomenon of transmigration towards these territories.
The association As.Tro submitted to the Council a series of observations on the topic.
This act has also been postponed to proceed with further investigations.
