ADM or Agenzia delle Dogane e dei Monopoli meaning Customs and Monopolies Agency is the national regulatory authority in Italy established by Legislative Decree No. 300 of 30 July 1999 in 2012. This entity is one of the three tax agencies executing technical and operational activities.
ADM has a legal status as a public regulatory, organizational, patrimonial, administrative, accounting, and financial autonomy body. After integrating the Autonomous Administration of State Monopolies (Amministrazione Autonoma dei Monopoli di Stato) known as AAMS, this authority has changed its name to Customs and Monopolies Agency. What are the key roles and functions of this Italian governing body?
Company Information
In 2006, new regulations came into force in Italy regulating, licensing, and legalizing online gambling in this country. This legislation was very strict as it prohibited legitimate European gambling operators from offering online gambling services in Italy. The foreign or local operators that didn't hold licences from Italy should have been blocked and some gambling activities require a special license and police authorization.
The stringent laws have become more flexible when the European Commission (EC) brought infractions proceedings against Italy. Therefore, the foreign gambling operators who want to run their businesses in this state must get a licence from AAMS, the former Italian gaming authority. As ADM is one of the three tax agencies, this national body has become the regulatory, administrative, patrimonial, accounting, and financial autonomy. In 2018, the new regulation became operative defining ADM roles and functions.
Functions
Regulation of Online Gambling IndustryAgenzia delle Dogane e dei Monopoli is the national regulator of online gambling in Italy. The main goal of this regulatory authority is to ensure a safe and secure online gambling environment. Hence, this regulatory body duties and responsibilities can be categorized into three types of functions:
1. Supervise and control the gambling industryThe national regulatory body ensures that the regulations related to the gambling field are applied correctly by the licensees. In other words, the primary responsibility of ADM is to protect players from gambling-related problems.
2. Prevent and fight against illegal gamblingWith the growth of illegal gambling sites, Italy's gambling regulator supervises the gambling industry by ensuring that the players and operators can avoid illegal gambling platforms and money laundering. Obviously, with the cooperation between the gambling companies and this entity, the fairness and safety of gambling are guaranteed.
3. Issue licences to Italy-based gambling companiesAnother crucial duty of the online gambling licensing authority for Italy is to supply licences to the operators who want to run their businesses there. Thus, the non AAMS sites and casinos will be banned from providing their services in this country. Additionally, the authority body can cancel licences for the operators who break the rules.
Administration of Customs DutiesCreated in July 1999, the Customs and Monopolies Agency is one of the three tax agencies that execute technical and operational activities which were previously related to the Ministry of Finance. ADM is the Customs Agency responsible for collecting and managing customs duties. The internal taxation and appeals procedures treatment in the international trade is also the main role of this body. To achieve its roles, ADM has to collaborate with the EU entities in the policy of harmonisation and development process of the European Construction.
Conducted by the Customs Directorate General of the Ministry of Finance, all tasks including those under the Treaties of the European Union or other international agreements, belong to the body are ensured to be completed successfully. A radical change of the Agency’s organisation and functions was undertaken by the Ministry of Economy and Finance removing the functional division among the Customs and Monopoly Areas.
The Prevention of and fight Against Tax EvasionADM is one of the three tax agencies meaning that the body has the role to fight against tax evasion and illicit extra-tax offences. Its policy is to carry out risk analysis and the database management has been developed since its creation. As Agenzia fights against tax evasion, it has the mission to check and investigate with some national authorities like the tax and judicial police experts as well as European Union, and international powers.
Furthermore, ADM does not only participate in domestic tax regulation but the body also protects the financial interests of the country and the European Union (EU). The body, hence, focuses on combating tax evasion and fraud including via the use of tax and judicial police powers.
ConclusionCustoms and Monopolies Agency takes an important role in Italy as it is among the three tax authorities responsible for preventing tax evasion as well as administrating customs duties. This body has also the power to regulate and control the online gambling industry in this country.
Since its creation in 2006, the gambling sector has shown incredible growth with more foreign operators offering their services to Italy-based players. With more than 200 online gambling sites, people are able to choose their favourite platforms in a safe and secure environment. The prevention and fight against tax evasion and administration of customs duties are ADM contributions to public health and safety.
This article was written in cooperation with Fabrizio Goria