LAN rooms: official regulations after closing

At the end of last month the fate of the Italian LAN and Esports arcades was put at risk following the surgery of the Customs and Monopoly Agency. Specifically, to pay the costs of this situation, it was theeSport Palaceone of the most popular arcades in Bergamo.

L’Customs agency and monopolies moved following a exhibited presented by the owner of the company Led Srl Sergio Milesi, which asked for clarity about the places defined as “digital entertainment parks”. After a few weeks of waiting, and after the closure of three LAN rooms on the national territory, something is starting to move thanks to the General Manager Marcello Minennawho signed a new circular that sheds light on the issues involving the eSports sector:

On April 30, the first phase of implementation of the new regulatory discipline on devices without cash prizes, as per art. 110, paragraph 7, of the TULPS. The deadlines for the submission of applications for the release of the new operating permits for the devices referred to in article 110, paragraph 7, lett. a) and c) already certified according to the previous technical rules and already installed.

To complete the transition phase to the new rules, a directorial decision is being drawn up which, starting from next 1 July, will dictate the rules for the implementation of the new regulation also for the devices that are used in traveling entertainment activities. authorized pursuant to Article 69 of the TULPS.

A further implementation circular is also envisaged for the Protocol recently signed between the Agency and CONI relating to the management of equipment used for sports purposes by athletes registered with ASD and SSD affiliated to the various sports federations.

In the list of attractions set up at the Ministry of Culture and most recently updated with the inter-ministerial decree of 3 August 2020, there are also the attractions called “pavilions and entertainment rooms”.

Among the most interesting points of the press release, we find the one related to regularization of the devices used for the LAN rooms:

To this end, any type of device that allows gaming without a cash prize that does not comply with the technical rules referred to in the DRTEC installed on 1 July 2022 inside the halls and entertainment rooms must, within the terms and in the manner that will be defined with the directorial provision provided for by article 10, paragraph 5 of the DRA, to be endowed with an authorization title or uninstalled from said attractions. The equipment that allows remote connection of the game will also be included in this provisional regime as long as it is equipped with specific hardware or software elements that prevent free surfing on the net, allowing only the connection to online platforms, intended solely for gaming without winning. money.

If in possession of the requisites established by law and without prejudice to the competence of the individual municipal administrations regarding the issue of authorizations for the traveling show pursuant to article 69 of the TULPS, the new regulation, with the related implementation timelines soon to be adopted, will apply, to the extent of the competence of the Excise, Customs and Monopoly Agency and with exclusive regard to the gaming sector, to all halls or entertainment rooms in possession of said authorization as of 1 July 2022.

Another important passage of the press release is that the LAN rooms will be able to operate freely by 1 July through specific authorization:

Therefore, for the sole purpose of the specific matters falling within the competence of the Excise, Customs and Monopoly Agency and with exclusive regard to the gaming sector, they will fall within the scope of application as outlined above, and which will be implemented in the next determination referred to in article 10, paragraph 5 of the DRA, all the “game rooms” which, in any case, have submitted to the competent municipal administrations an application for the issue of the authorization by the aforementioned 1 July next, if they have not received explicit denial by the competent local authority.