TITLE: Italy's Bassano del Grappa Municipal Council Rejects Gambling Harm Reduction Motion
BODY:
On March 6, 2026, the Municipal Council of Bassano del Grappa, in the province of Vicenza, Italy, rejected a motion on gambling harm reduction presented by the civic list "E' il momento" (It's the Moment). The motion, titled "Combating Gambling and Initiatives for the Protection of the Bassanese Community," sought to implement comprehensive measures to address gambling-related harms in the municipality.
The rejected motion proposed that the mayor and municipal administration present an updated and detailed analysis of 2024-25 gambling data to the council, with particular focus on the distribution between physical and online gambling and overall citizen losses. The proposal also called for evaluating the adoption or strengthening of municipal regulatory instruments to limit the spread of gaming machines and dedicated gaming halls, in compliance with existing legislation. Additional provisions included promoting awareness campaigns in collaboration with the local health authority (ULSS), schools, associations, and territorial networks; establishing a permanent dialogue forum with organisations working to combat gambling; introducing incentive mechanisms for "no-slot" commercial establishments; and providing annual reports to the council on gambling trends and adopted measures. Councillor Giulia Moro presented the motion's key points, which encompassed data monitoring, regulatory measures, awareness and prevention initiatives, third-sector collaboration, incentives for no-slot venues, and annual transparency reporting.
The rejection of this motion reflects ongoing municipal-level debates in Italy regarding gambling regulation and harm prevention strategies at the local level.