AGCOM (Media and Communications Authority) of Italy confirmed the implementation of “mandatory age verification to guarantee the majority of the Italian public”. Last week, the agency briefed the media on the technical framework to impose mandatory measures to verify the age of audiences who engage with adult content such as gambling.
Italian government tool to safely access betting games
The new measures announced by AGCOM will require Italian media to impose an age verification before users can view content related to gambling, pornography and adult-specific social media categories.
This continues an earlier proposal from AGCOM, which had already proposed the technical measure of age verification controls as part of the thirteen standards introduced by the Caivano Decree – Italy’s online safety and security bill.
As AGCOM proposed to the government: “The measure imposes stronger age verification mechanisms to protect minors from content harmful to their physical, mental or moral development, requiring strict safeguards in all information society services.”
The framework requires media to use the Public Digital Identity System (SPID) to verify the age of Italian citizens and residents who view adult content.
The SPID, or other form of digital identity, will be required to access certain services, including:
- Porn sites
- Gaming and betting platforms
- “Social networks without restrictions”
European Commission assesses compliance of verification measures
Age controls will use a “double anonymity” model to ensure privacy. That is, media owners will not keep any data on users’ age verification. Then, you won’t be able to track age verifications across your networks and inventory.
AGCOM informed the European Commission (EC) about its technical measures. Thus, the body will analyze compliance with European Union rules on user data and privacy.
AGCOM will release a “technical timeline” to monitor developments in age verification systems. This will ensure continuous adaptation to technological and regulatory changes.
Therefore, once authorized by the EC, AGCOM will launch a pilot program to test its new age controls with the support of:
- Commercial groups
- Consumer associations
- Video sharing platforms
Therefore, the government will impose new age control measures on online gambling licenses as part of the Decree on the Reorganization of Gambling in Italy.
