Covid-19: (physical) gaming stops in Italy

The decree of the President of the Council of Ministers of 2020, March, the 8th containing further measures to contain and manage the epidemiological emergency from Covid-19, marked the closure of all gaming, betting and bingo halls in Italy until April, the 3rd. At the moment. With the possibility that the protective measures may be extended for a longer period of time, if the infections not decrease over time. This means that, as of Monday, March, the 9th, the operation of the AWPs installed in bars, tobacconists, restaurants, hotels, etc. is still allowed, provided that they are located and/or used in such a way as to allow compliance with the interpersonal distance of at least one meter. The same can be said for betting corners found in tobacconists. However, there are interpretative doubts for those places (such as bars, tobacconists or restaurants) with separate rooms (even if accessible via the main entrance of the shop), dedicated to hosting gaming devices. In this case, while considering the predominance of the license regarding the main activity (for which, the permanence of the devices should remain permitted), the substantial nature of "gaming room" could be attributed to these spaces. Even private clubs, in which gaming activity is ancillary to the club's own activities may remain open, but even here there are doubts, without prejudice to the need to adopt suitable measures to avoid gatherings and in any case aimed at maintaining the interpersonal distance of at least a meter. It should be noted that the gaming activity taken into account by the rules in question is not only limited to devices with a cash prize, but also extended to that carried out through the devices included in the type provided for in paragraph 7 of art. 110 of the Tulps, that is Arcade video games, cranes, redemptions, etc. "Starting from today, 2020, March, the 10th, after the further government action that extends the" red zone "to the whole nation (the previous decree identified only 14 provinces at risk), restaurant and bar activities, as well as having to respect, as in all Italy, the measures suitable to allow the interpersonal distance of one meter, can remain open only from 6am to 6pm. The emergency situation had already caused the 45-day postponement of the Rimini Enada fair (to the new dates of April 21-23) but in light of the protracted emergency, it is possible that the fair itself may have moved to next autumn or, worse again, that it can be canceled.