The state revenue from the games sector, which constitutes the total amount of taxation and the remaining difference between collections, fees and winnings from games that enter the public purse, is of €11.22 billion for 2022. The result increased by 33.40 percent compared to 2021.
This data is certified by the 2022 Blue Paper Report, published by the Agenzia delle dogane e dei monopoli, containing data and information updated to May, the 22nd, 2023.
In 2022, Games sector confirms the positive trend already started in 2021. There was an increase in all gaming aspects compared to the previous year: 22.39 percent for collection, 20.91 percent for winnings, 31.56 percent for expense and 33.40 percent for the Treasury. The abandonment of the restrictions characterizing the pandemic years has given a boost to the restart of the entire games sector. In particular, the increase in the data relating to collection can be attributed to a return to physical gaming venues.
Between 2021 and 2022, the ratio between winnings and collections slightly decreased, going from 86.08 percent in 2021 to 85.03 percent in 2022. This figure is justified by a return of users to the physical gaming of entertainment machines, with less profitable payouts than other types of games. However, the ratio between the Treasury and Collection increased from 7.56 percent recorded in 2021 to 8.24 percent in 2022, a figure which is affected by a clear return to the use of entertainment devices, subject to a greater tax levy.
CONTRIBUTION TO THE TREASURY OF THE VARIOUS GAMING TYPES - Analyzing the contribution to the Treasury of the different types of physical and remote gaming, in 2022, it is highlighted that the entertainment devices sector (Awps, Vlts and Comma 7) represents 54.77 percent of state revenue coming from the sector. This is followed by Number Games and Lotteries, representing 31.98 percent of the revenue for the treasury for the Games part and including within them "Totalizator Number Games", "Lotteries", "Lotto" and other fixed-odds number games (“10 e Lotto” and “Million Day”). Within this category, 46.64 percent of the treasury can be attributed to "Lotteries", 32.92 percent from "Lotto" and 20.44 percent from "Totalizator number games". Betting represents 6.07 percent of the contribution to the treasury and within them 96.64 percent of the total is represented by "Sports-based gaming", followed by "Horse-racing gaming" (2.83 percent) and “Betting Exchange” (0.53 percent). The remaining 7.18 percent can be attributed to "Remote skill games" for 74.47 percent and "Bingo" for 25.53 percent.
CONTROLS AND FINES - The number of businesses controlled in 2022 for the Games sector is of 22,576. The local defense index is of 22.18 percent and can be defined as the ratio between the number of businesses controlled (for all gaming areas) and the number of businesses registered on the Adm systems.
Looking at the national summary of the number of businesses controlled, they are 14,081 in 2020, 18,570 in 2021, 22,576 in 2022. This shows an increasing trend in the number of controls over the three-year period 2020-2022, also dictated by a slow return to verification activities of the pre-pandemic period. In particular, the data shows an increase of 21.57 percent in the number of businesses controlled from 2021 to 2022, influenced by the 5-month closure imposed by the Government on businesses in the first part of 2021.
In 2022, the number of administrative violations and the number of inspections recorded an increase, respectively, of 3.75 percent and 3.17 percent, compared to 2021. This figure is the result of the productive and constant commitment of the staff of the Agency employed in the surveillance and protection of the territory. The activities to control and fight against tax evasion, in 2022, led to the assessment of €448.72 million, recording a decrease compared to the previous year of -34.84 percent. In 2022, the decreasing trend in the number of fines imposed continues, due to the progressive knowledge of the territory by Adm personnel, recording a further reduction in the number of fines of -12.35 percent, compared to 2021. Analyzing the relevant data on a territorial basis to the tax assessed in 2022, it is highlighted that 81.11 percent of Greater established entitlements resulting from controls with positive results led by Piemonte and Sicily Regions.
Focusing attention on the betting sector, a decrease of 4.14 percent emerges in the number of administrative violations verified by the Agency in 2022 compared to the previous year, while the number of inspections records an increase of 29.55 percent, compared to 2021.
In 2022, the tax verified and the value of the tax and administrative fines imposed in the betting sector recorded a general decline compared to the 2021 data, while there was an increase of 84.03 percent in the number of fines imposed, compared to the previous year.
In 2022, the devices sector records an increase of 18.35 percent in the number of administrative violations verified by the Adm Offices and a decrease of 22 percent in the number of notices of investigation issued, compared to 2021.
There is a significant increase in the tax verified, which for 2022 was of €238.35 million, compared to the €14.54 million recovered in 2021. The data on the amount of fines imposed in the tax field is also growing, which went from €11.02 million in 2021 to 85.53 million in 2022. The number of fines imposed was instead decreasing by 2.51 percent, compared to 2021.
THE FIGHT AGAINST UNDERAGE GAMING - From the analysis of the data, there is a decrease in both the number and amount of fines imposed, as well as in the number of suspended businesses, probably due to greater awareness and information relating to the ban on participation in public games with cash prizes for minors under 18 years of age and with local supervision carried out by Agency staff.
THE INHIBITION OF IRREGULAR WEBSITES - Since 2014, Adm has been engaged in an important surveillance activity of the electronic network, which goes hand in hand with the fundamental operational activity of protecting the territory. In the three-year period 2020-2022, Adm conducted continuous and constant activity (started in 2014) to inhibit irregular websites.
The activity carried out by the Agency led to the inhibition of 261 irregular websites in 2022, recording an increase of 32.49 percent compared to 2021, when there were 197. For attempts to access these websites, there was a decrease of 4 .95 percent compared to the previous year (238.33 thousand against 250.74 thousand).