Business of Gambling: impact on Italian economy, policies and regulation of the phenomenon

Abstract

This thesis has the aim to study and analyze the development of gambling business in Italy and its impact on Italian economy, with a specific focus on its taxation. Starting from an historical analysis of gambling, through its first appearances and evolution, I am going to explain how this industry is subdivided, analyzing the business of the main gambling disciplines. Then I am going to approach the diffusion of the phenomenon from a sociological point of view, focusing on causes and effects of its spread, on the profile of the average player and of the pathological gambler. Moreover I will give an explanation of how people react in front of gambling and risky situations through the study of the Expected utility theory and its analogies with gambler’s fallacy. The core of this paper will be then dedicated to the analysis of gambling taxation: I will illustrate data about money collection and tax revenues, commenting the past and the current situation, offering also a personal opinion about how could be the possible future scenario of gambling taxation. To conclude I will explain the history of gambling regulation and its reforms over the last years, witness of a clearly ambiguous position of government about the issue.