Italian policymaker links bitcoin to mafia-controlled casino ops

Bitcoin is giving Italian mobsters a legal way to enter the gambling industry.

That was the bold claim made by Lucrezia Ricchiuti, who is convinced that the popular digital currency can be linked to casino operations runs by the Italian mafia. Ricchiuti, member of the Democratic Party, believes that the rise of new payment methods like cryptocurrency will pave the way for Italy’s gambling industry to be used for tax evasion.

Italy’s current laws allow operators to open a gaming site that accepts bitcoin payments, but the policymaker said it’s a situation that needs to be addressed moving forward as it poses a “systemic risk.”

“First we must strengthen the barriers to entry in the public system of the games,” Ricchiuti said. “To do this it is necessary to broaden the scope of impediments both crimes against the requirements for participation in tenders or public procedures and with respect to the issue, renewal and maintenance of concessions on public games.”