Adult Play: Lollobrigida (Adm) on Fighting Two-Speed Pathologies, Online & Physical

Mario Lollobrigida Discusses Combating Problem Gambling at Brightstar Event

Mario Lollobrigida, Director of Gaming at the Customs and Monopolies Agency, spoke at the Brightstar, Swg, and Formiche event, “Playing Big: Observations on Public Gaming.” The event focused on the latest analysis of the sector, addressing issues related to gambling addiction.

The Importance of Research

Lollobrigida emphasized the importance of research in understanding the complexities of problem gambling. “Research of this kind is very important because it gives us awareness of the phenomenon,” he stated. “We already knew that comorbidity exists in the context of pathological gambling, and this was evident from many data points we have already analyzed. It is clear that we need to find a system to intervene in both areas, in the area of online and physical gaming.”

Online Gaming Interventions

Lollobrigida highlighted the progress made in addressing online gambling issues. He explained that Legislative Decree 41 has enabled significant intervention possibilities. The new tender for online gaming concessions includes requirements for operators to implement player protection measures and prevent problem gambling.

“The new tender includes important interventions of protection to safeguard players and prevent problem gambling. It’s simpler because each concessionaire has continuous awareness of the gaming activities of the various subjects, the various players, so they can organize prevention actions but also combat more significant compulsive phenomena,” Lollobrigida noted.

He further elaborated on the use of artificial intelligence: “Even through artificial intelligence systems to understand, seeing the times, the methods of play, you can send messages dedicated to the player’s gaming methods, even suspending the possibility of play. Some concessionaires already do this.”

Challenges in Physical Gaming

Addressing the challenges in physical gaming, Lollobrigida acknowledged the limitations of current tools. “It’s clear that the tools we have are much less effective and, as highlighted in the Swg research, the possible solutions are provided by psychologists. This is why we talk mainly about prevention,” he said.

He stressed the importance of operator training: “This is done through serious training of operators. Some subjects, some concessionaires, some trade associations are already starting on this path, and the decree on the reorganization of physical gaming, which, as far as we are concerned, is a finished work, but must face some passages, with local authorities, with the regions, passages with the commissions, in this sense is fundamental.”

The Future of Gaming Regulation

Lollobrigida expressed concern about potential delays in the reorganization of the public gaming sector. “Unfortunately, we do not know when the work on this segment of public gaming will be completed, given that they are discussing the possibility of extending the deadlines for the tax delegation with a further postponement of the work. But for us, the training part by the concessionaires of public establishments is absolutely fundamental and central,” he concluded.