Sommario: 

1. Il gioco e le scommesse come attività economiche. 

2. Attività riservate. 

2.1. Le riserve statali. 

2.2. Le (incerte) basi della “riserva originaria”. Dubbi antichi e nuovi. 

2.3. Articolare le riserve. Gestione, organizzazione e controllo. 

3. Presupposti e forme della “gestione diretta”. 

4. L’apparente varietà dei titoli abilitativi. 

4.1. Le concessioni. 

4.2. I nulla-osta. 

4.3. Le autorizzazioni. 

4.4. La prevalenza dello strumento concessorio. 

5. Contratti “accessivi”: struttura e finalità. 

6. Il potere di “abilitazione” e i suoi titolari nell’interazione coi privati. 

7. Un settore non deregolabile. 

8. Tutela dell’ordine pubblico, finalità (para)-fiscali. 

9. Verso una regolazione condizionale? 

10. Ragioni per un cambiamento.

Abstract:

Gaming and betting are a profitable business with a different legal regime in each EU country. In Italy, an individual administrative measure called “concessione” (licence) allows entry into market. In fact, the State has special and exclusive rights («riserva originaria di attività») whereby it can directly regulate gaming and betting or do it through private entities. This particular legal framework, which is typical of other public utilities, has been consolidating when public authorities wanted both to control and limit gaming and betting. The current scenery is quite different, with the tumultuous expansion of these activities under public authorities approval. As a matter of fact, private management has taken a central role. Indeed, the traditional legal regime is no more convenient: it does not permit an effective control of such activities, it does not maximize the income of the State, then, it favors the incumbents. Despite this, a deregulation to promote competition cannot be proposed. Strong law enforcement is still necessary to struggle against compulsive gambling or criminal organizations infiltration. A regulation creating conditions to maintain and strengthen public oversight, increasing transparency, and equalizing conditions within competition undertakings should be promoted.