Italy

[IT] For the first time, AGCOM imposes a fine of more than one million euros on social network X for prohibited online gambling advertising

IRIS 2024-4:1/7

Francesco Di Giorgi

Autorità per le garanzie nelle comunicazioni (AGCOM)

The Italian Communications Authority (AGCOM) has, for the first time, sanctioned the Twitter International Unlimited Company, owner of the video-sharing platform X, for violating the ban on gambling advertising, pursuant to Article 9 of the Dignity Decree, imposing a fine of EUR 1 350 000.00.

In particular, following numerous reports of alleged violations of the ban on online gambling advertising, AGCOM initiated and concluded a sanctioning procedure finding nine violations, one each for nine individual accounts, all marked with the blue tick. These violations related to content of an advertising communication nature linked to sites that offer gaming and betting activities with cash winnings.

AGCOM also found that only seven of the nine accounts were blocked directly by the platform during the procedural phase and therefore issued an access inhibition order for the other two accounts.

Finally, the authority adopted an inhibition order for all further illicit content uploaded, after the notification, by the nine accounts.

This sanction (65/24/CONS) follows those already adopted in relation to offences connected to the ban on online gambling advertising, as part of AGCOM's enforcement activities against Google Ireland Limited (with sanctions equal to EUR 450 000.00 under Resolution No. 275/22/CONS; EUR 2 250 000.00 under Resolution No. 317/23/CONS; and EUR 750 000 under Resolution No. 50/24/CONS) and for violations committed by the VSP service YouTube – see IRIS 2022-8:1/4; Twitch Interactive Germany Gmbh – see IRIS 2024-1:1/12 (with a fine of EUR 900 000.00 under Resolution No. 317/23/CONS for the VSP service Twitch); and Meta – see IRIS 2023-3:1/14 (with penalties of EUR 5 580 000.00 under Resolution No. 422/22/CONS and EUR 750 000 under Resolution No. 331/23/CONS).