A business license is a certain documentary permission, without which it is impossible to officially engage in any type of activity. This applies to construction, accounting or law, as well as gambling. The activity of any gambling establishment or online platform that does not have such official permission will be prosecuted by law.
General information about AAMS
It is worth mentioning that gambling is still prohibited in many countries of the world. Therefore, it is rather problematic to acquire a license for the official operation of the casino. But every year it becomes easier and easier to get a license to operate an online casino.
The abbreviation AAMS stands for Autonomous Administration of State Monopolies. This organization is engaged in issuing licenses for all gambling establishments and platforms in Italy. Thanks to the activities of AAMS, players can be sure that the chosen casino will be reliable and safe, because it has passed the rigorous checks of this organization.
Features of obtaining a gaming license in Italy
Any licensee must comply with the requirements and regulations of the chosen offshore jurisdiction. Therefore, after the owner of the gambling site has decided on his target audience and the allowable budget for obtaining a license, you can start choosing a suitable offshore jurisdiction.
As in any other state, Italy also has its own specific laws and requirements for casinos. But, despite this, the gambling business here is developing at a rapid pace.
On the territory of Italy, official activities are carried out by many enterprises that specialize in gambling. Such establishments include online casinos, various entertainment clubs, lotteries, poker rooms and halls with slot machines. Their activity is completely official and safe, because they received a gambling license in Italy.
Activities of the AAMS Commission
The state commission AAMS is responsible for issuing licenses for gambling activities in Italy. This autonomous administration of state monopolies does not only deal with the registration of companies that specialize in gambling. This commission is also responsible for the full control and regulation of their activities.
The main goal of its work AAMS considers the fight against illegal gambling in order to provide users with safe and reliable entertainment. Members of the commission identify underground facilities and unregistered casinos, and then transfer information about their activities to law enforcement agencies. Establishments are closed, and criminal cases are opened against the names of their owners and organizers.
But AAMS punishes not only underground casinos. Licensees who violate the terms and conditions of the organization will also have their license revoked. Such tough actions allow the Autonomous Administration of State Monopolies to protect players from fraud, as well as guarantee the integrity of their financial transactions.
Key Responsibilities of the Autonomous Administration of State Monopolies
The main objective of the AAMS is to guarantee the safety of all Italian players. Thanks to strict control, players can be sure of the honesty and reliability of financial transactions, and cases of fraud or deception will be excluded from the side of the online casino.
Absolutely every casino that wants to get an AAMS license will undergo a thorough and detailed check. Only after the commission is convinced of the honesty of the services provided, the casino will be able to obtain an official license for gambling activities. The policy of the institutions will also be checked, this will guarantee the players complete confidentiality. Casinos that could not pass the AAMS check are not allowed to operate in Italy.
How to check if an online casino has been licensed by AAMS
Finding out if the selected casino is licensed by the Autonomous Administration of State Monopolies is quite simple. All AAMS licensees have the logo of this commission at the bottom of the main page. By clicking on the logo, the player will be automatically redirected to the official AAMS website. Then you can be sure that this online casino operates legally in Italy.
Types of licenses from AAMS
Licensees for Autonomous Administration of State Monopolies may qualify for the following types of licenses:
- Basic license that allows you to carry out any activity related to gambling;
- Online lottery license;
- License for betting on water sports disciplines;
- Horse betting license.
Requirements for an AAMS license
The conditions for the operation of gambling establishments established by the AAMS must be observed inviolably. If a company has violated the rules of the Autonomous Administration of State Monopolies, they will be forced to pay a fine of up to 5,000 euros. In the case of the most serious offenses, even the use of arrest for up to 1 year is possible.
Even companies that are not directly involved in gambling can obtain this license. The main thing is to fulfill 2 basic requirements:
- Pay bank guarantee fees of EUR 1.5 million;
- Confirm the innovativeness of the online casino during software testing.
Requirements for online casino operators
Most recently, the Autonomous Administration of State Monopolies supplemented its statute with new requirements for licensees. Now online casino owners must:
- Renew your permission to carry out gambling activities exactly at the specified time;
- Certify all games, programs and slots that are presented on their website;
- Register with AAMS all new launched online platforms, as well as issue a separate permit for each of these establishments.
Features of this license
Italian legislation in the gambling industry is quite specific in comparison with other European countries. But do not be afraid, all requirements are feasible and justified. So, in order to obtain a license from the Autonomous Administration of State Monopolies, you need to consider the following list of nuances:
- The duration of the license is 9 years;
- Excluding value added tax, the cost of obtaining a license is 250,000 euros. This amount must be paid after obtaining a work permit;
- Absolutely any owner of a business specializing in gambling entertainment that operates in the EU, Iceland, Norway, Great Britain and Liechtenstein can become a licensee;
- Business owners from the EU can obtain a license from AAMS, but at the same time register their establishment in the territory of any other country. For representatives of other countries, this option is not available;
- Platforms that specialize in online gambling and betting, and are also licensed by the Autonomous Administration of State Monopolies, can provide their services to residents of this country, provided that they have an “.it” domain;
- Italian online casinos with this license cannot provide services to foreign companies with a “.com” domain;
- The online casino server can be located both in Italy and in other EU member countries. In this case, the AAMS commission will monitor their activities online.
Tax policy
Italian tax legislation states that every entrepreneur is obliged to contribute a certain budget from the profits received as a result of his activities to the state budget. The amount of this percentage will depend on the chosen type of gambling.
Operators of online casinos, betting shops, poker rooms and market games are required to pay a single tax, which is 20% of the company’s gross income. But in addition to this general tax, other turnover duties are also provided. We suggest considering additional taxes depending on the types of gambling entertainment:
- sports betting – about 3.5%;
- horse racing bets – 10%;
- slot machines – 3%;
- bingo loto – 11.5%.
Required package of documents for obtaining an AAMS license
As with any other official business permits, AAMS licensees will need to provide a list of documents to legalize their gambling business:
- The charter of the enterprise and the constituent assembly, where the names of the management of the company will be indicated;
- Documents proving the identity of all shareholders and founders of the company;
- Agreement on the creation of a platform site on which gaming activities will be carried out;
- Agreement on assigning a domain name to a gaming site;
- Payment documents that confirm the act of renting an office space, as well as confirmation of payment for utilities;
- Cooperation agreements with partners.
Original Documents
Copies will do for all of the above documents. But there is also a list of documents that must be provided in the original:
- Application for a gaming license in Italy;
- Certificates from a banking institution on the registration of an account and the presence of the minimum allowable amount of funds on it;
- Recommendations from influential financial companies that confirm the financial solvency of the licensee;
- Conclusion on the quality of the used gambling equipment and software;
- A business plan that will show all forecasts regarding financial activities for the first years of work.
Additional Documentation
In addition to all the above aspects, licensees are also required to provide the commission with a detailed description of their gaming platform, as well as each specific game. Be sure to disclose all the details for each game: its name, software provider, principle of operation, the amount of possible winnings and other details.
When reviewing an online casino, the Autonomous Administration of State Monopolies will pay special attention to the honesty and reliability of the gaming platform. After all, this commission should guarantee the safety of each player. Payment systems and financial transactions will be carefully checked so that users can be sure that their money is safe.
What is ADM
ADM is the main body responsible for the regulation of gambling in Italy. It is this organization that issues licenses for online and land-based casinos, and further controls their activities.
Italian criminal law prohibits gambling, but there are a number of exceptions. On the territory of Italy, games of logic and luck are allowed at the legislative level: bingo, lotteries, sports betting and related activities. But only persons who have received the appropriate license can engage in this type of entrepreneurial activity.
Until 2000, gambling in Italy was completely prohibited. But already in the 21st century, a gradual liberalization of this sphere began. Until 2014, the body responsible for issuing gambling licenses was called AAMS. But then it was renamed to ADM (Agenzia delle dogane e dei Monopoli). Now it is this body that is responsible for the full regulation of the gambling industry on the territory of this state. ADM also decides on the issuance of licenses by a potential operator. And although the active legalization of this business is currently underway, ADM continues to issue licenses in limited quantities only for the best applicants.
Varieties of licenses from ADM
Obtaining a license from Agenzia delle dogane e dei Monopoli allows online casino operators to significantly expand their game library. For each type of license, you can get an additional extension that includes lotto, sports betting, sweepstakes, lotteries, as well as classic card and parity games.
Requirements depending on the type of license
In order to obtain an ADM license, a list of strict and stringent conditions must be met. Such requirements allow you to secure both the players and the providers themselves.
Each player must verify their account. To do this, he will need to fill out a registration form, indicate personal data, place of residence and even a tax code. After that, you will need to provide a copy of your passport. And only after such a strict registration procedure, the user will be able to start playing in the online casino.
At first glance, this may seem silly, but it certainly makes sense. Such strict rules allow you to protect minors from the game process. If it is proven that an adult assists in facilitating gambling by minors, he will be required to face criminal charges. This is a clear demonstration of the serious struggle of Italian law against illegal gambling by minors.
Benefits of a license from AAMS (ADM)
In order to summarize all the above information, we can highlight the following advantages of having a license from AAMS (ADM):
- Online casinos that have this gambling license operate completely legally, they can work officially and openly;
- The AAMS Licensing Commission (ADM) has an excellent reputation in the international arena, so obtaining this work permit confirms the prestige of online casinos;
- An operator who obtains an Italian AAMS license automatically becomes an international company;
- Online casinos that have obtained an AAMS license automatically receive an EU tax number;
- An AAMS licensee can open a casino and become a partner of a bank in the EU;
- The procedure for obtaining a license takes place as soon as possible.
Summing Up
Italian legislation in the field of gambling is strict and principled. Therefore, violators will definitely have to stand up before the law. Online casinos that have obtained an AAMS license have the opportunity to take advantage of numerous benefits and earn additional profit from their business.
On this page, you will be able to find online casinos that have received an AAMS license and enjoy a safe and fun gaming experience.
