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As anticipated in my previous post, I have spoken today at a very interesting conference at ENADA Roma 2009, the international fair on amusement and gaming machines. The topic of the conference was about videolotteries (VLT) that are expected to be launched on the Italian market by the end of the year. The main comments from gaming operators and speakers was that, because of the considerable wins offered by VLT which can reach € 500,000, there will be gaming halls able to attract a number of players due to the wins promised by VLTs and to even compete with the games offered by casinos.
Casinos are currently located in Italy only in Venice, Sanremo, Saint Vincent and Campione d’Italia and the opening of further casinos is prohibited by the law. The business of casinos is facing a crisis which might be worsened because of the launch of VLTs. Italian players might indeed prefer to play in the gaming hall by their flat rather than driving for a thousand of KMs to reach one of the four Italian casinos. VLTs’ gaming halls might become places that recall casinos also in their “look”: the large offered wins might foster gaming operators to set up very elegant gaming halls with a dressing code and a selection at the entrance which might give to players the feeling of being in a casino.
Will this be the future of the Italian gaming market? we will better understand what it is happening next during the first months following the launch of VLTs in Italy…, in any case the potentialities of the VLTs appear substantial taking into account that gaming operators might also decide to install totems in gaming halls, to organize live poker tournaments and to set up betting shops…
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