Consumer Spending in Italy between Economic Crisis and Gambling

The Italian economy is undergoing a period of economic recession, which is expressed by a contraction of domestic demand. Notwithstanding a reduction in the per-capita spending on durable and non-durable goods, for some years there has been an increase in spending on gambling. The market for legal gambling, managed in Italy by the Agency of the Monopolies, is a large market, strongly influenced by changes in consumer preferences and by technological innovation. This market, in continuous evolution and strongly supported by media and advertising campaigns, does not seem to be affected by the crisis, because the possibility of an easy income exerts a significant attraction, so that many people find themselves victims of the flattery of real or virtual green tables. Italy, moreover, occupies the first place in the European market for online games, which appeal to young people and women, but that easily escape checks and are very often managed by organized crime. Considering that the availability of non-virtual games is also expanding, supported by a capillary network of outlets, the present work seeks to examine the development dynamics that this sector produces on Italian community at both national and regional level.