Reviewing internal controls, discussing the length of management tenures and assessing the risks inherent in the State’s dual role as owner and supervisor. The Socialists and Democrats Party (PSD) has weighed in on the Giochi del Titano affair, calling for a political response that goes beyond emergency management and the judicial investigation.
“Politics must go beyond the inquiry. There are issues in the gaming sector that can and must be addressed now, without waiting for the outcome of the proceedings,” the party’s statement reads. The judicial aspects, the PSD notes, are a matter for the judiciary, which must be given full cooperation — especially given that a state-owned company is involved.
The party begins by recalling the decision to adopt public management around twenty years ago, crediting it with ending a period marked by political clashes and private interests. “Gradually, Giochi del Titano grew, political conflict faded, and economic results took the place of controversy. That choice worked. Acknowledging this, however, does not mean shielding the company from scrutiny.”
At the heart of the PSD’s request is the adequacy of the rules and oversight mechanisms. “Gaming generates money and significant revenue. It also carries risks of addiction, money laundering and criminal infiltration. It must be governed for what it is, without moralising and without conflating economic results with the sector’s security,” the party states.
The review being proposed concerns internal controls, corporate bodies, the State Gaming Authority (Ente di Stato dei Giochi) and the Financial Intelligence Agency, each within its own remit. “Carrying out this review is not about assigning blame to anyone. It is about strengthening safeguards for the company and for the State.”
The statement also raises the issue of public ownership. The State, the party observes, is simultaneously the owner, the beneficiary of the revenues, and the body responsible for oversight. “This arrangement carries risks. Profitability can lead to a lowering of vigilance. And when a serious matter affects the company, the reputational damage falls directly on the Republic.” For the PSD, these are aspects to be examined “with no conclusions already written”.
One specific point concerns Caronia’s tenure at the head of the company since 2009. “Caronia has led Giochi del Titano since 2009, with significant economic results. But seventeen years in the same role raises a question that remains separate from the judicial investigation.”
This leads to a call to address the issue of rotation, including in other areas: “In more sensitive sectors, such a long tenure can make a company too dependent on a single executive. Politics must identify — beyond gaming as well — the roles where rotation and limits on tenure should be introduced, while safeguarding expertise and continuity.”
In the immediate term, the PSD identifies as priorities business continuity, protection of workers, containment of risks to public revenue, and cooperation with investigators. To underline the company’s economic weight, the party cites 2025 figures: over €13.7 million in taxes and around €8.5 million in profits, with more than a hundred employees and collaborators.
At the same time, the party calls for diversifying the country’s sources of income through the Agenda for Growth, linked to the opportunities offered by the Association Agreement. “We need ambitious investments and new sustainable activities capable of generating income, jobs and substantial revenue. Standing still means losing opportunities and leaving the public budget too exposed to the fortunes of individual sectors.”
The statement concludes by calling for action on the entire structure: “Giochi del Titano is an important resource for the country. Precisely because we want to protect it, we believe the response cannot be limited to replacing one executive. We need to review the organisation and its controls, and reflect seriously on the future of the sector.”
