Italy crackdown on illegal slot machine software and copyright theft

Italian authorities have conducted separate investigations targeting illegal activities within the slot machine and gaming industry.

In Sulmona, the Public Prosecutor's Office has requested trial for two men accused of attempted fraud and illegal possession of weapons. Following a 2024 investigation by the Carabinieri, authorities discovered specialized electronic equipment and modified mobile phones used to manipulate video slot machine parameters, allowing users to alter win frequencies and amounts.

In a separate operation titled ‘Leggenda svelata’ coordinated by the Turin Prosecutor's Office, the Guardia di Finanza seized materials valued at approximately 9.5 million euros. The investigation focused on the unauthorized use of copyrighted characters—including Batman, Joker, Flash, and Speedy Gonzales—on gaming machines. The seizure included 4,600 cards and source codes across multiple Italian regions, including Turin, Rome, and Milan, targeting the illegal reproduction of protected intellectual property within the national gaming network.