The social debate about gambling regulation in Italy: an analysis of stakeholders’ arguments

The Italian gambling market has been growing since the 1990s, becoming one of the world’s largest markets. However, since 2004, a number of municipalities have taken measures to limit the negative outcomes of gambling by introducing local regulations, especially ‘timing’ and ‘zoning’ measures aimed at reducing the number of Electronic Gambling Machines. This attempt to limit gambling has sparked strong reactions from the State and the industry. Drawing on data from three focus groups conducted in two Italian Regions involving 30 participants belonging to a broad variety of stakeholders, the present study aims to provide a picture of the current debate on gambling regulation. The study applies qualitative content analysis to examine the stakeholders’ different arguments and shows how the rhetorical strategies of the industry – namely confining the risks to specific vulnerable targets, negative impact on the labor market, increase in illegal gambling, ineffectiveness of local regulation in reducing problem gambling – play a major role in the social construction of the problem. Other stakeholders’ and social actors’ arguments are weak by comparison. To counteract the industry’s rhetoric, more studies of gambling policies and regulation are needed, while scientific evidence should be more effectively disseminated.