Silvio Berlusconi\u2019s right-wing opposition Forza Italia party said the move was designed to \u201chumiliate\u201d soccer fans.<\/p>\n
Genoa C.F.C President Enrico Preziosi labeled it \u201cmadness\u201d when he spoke to reporters after hearing of the proposal last week.<\/p>\n
“You can\u2019t just wake up in the morning and do something like this,\u201d he fumed, as translated by the Football Italia website. \u201cThey don\u2019t understand the devastating effects there will be on football, an industry in which thousands of people work.<\/strong><\/p><\/blockquote>\n\u201cIt\u2019s a senseless and populist proposal … Usually prohibition does nothing but fuel certain practices even more. I\u2019m really angry,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n
Dignity Decree<\/strong><\/h2>\nDeputy premier Luigi Di Maio of the anti-establishment, populist Five-Star Movement (M5S) had been making noise about introducing the ban for several weeks as part of his \u201cDignity Decree,\u201d aimed at curbing a rise in problem gambling in the country over the past decade.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think this is an industry that has become a bit too big, at the expense of people’s health and dignity,\u201d he told media last week. \u201cWe are going to cut it down in size.\u201d<\/p>\n
He also criticized athletes, such as the retired soccer star Francesco Totti, for appearing in betting adverts.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Italian sports leagues have reacted with horror at their government\u2019s sudden decision to impose a blanket gambling advertising ban, which will drain $120 million from soccer\u2019s top-tier, Serie A. The prohibition — approved by Italy\u2019s council of ministers earlier this week — will begin on January 1, 2019, and extends to TV, radio and internet […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":36,"featured_media":82796,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[62,16,1074],"tags":[],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n
Serie A to Lose $120 Million from Italian Gambling Advertising Ban<\/title>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\n\n\n\n\n\t\n\t\n\t\n