We simply cannot manage it. We are afflicted by provincialism, and provincialism will be our undoing. The political blame-game has already begun over Giochi del Titano, while the people of San Marino wonder how much this latest episode of the “greedy cow” will end up costing them. Salvatore Caronia has been at the helm of Giochi del Titano Spa for exactly 17 years.
He officially took up the role of General Director on 1 October 2009, after a long career at the Casino di Sanremo. The company Giochi del Titano, whose sole shareholder is the State of San Marino with 100% of the shares, was founded on 2 May 2007, with share capital of €3,650,000. It employs more than 100 people between staff and collaborators. In 2024 it paid the State over €23 million, a figure that includes both direct gaming taxes and profit distributions, against revenues that approached €32 million and more than 212,000 admissions. Giochi del Titano has adopted a code of ethics and a strict anti-corruption policy, confirmed by top-tier certifications. And this is the first answer to anyone who will claim that “we need stricter laws.”
Since political memory tends to be short, it is worth recalling that Caronia’s arrival followed the removal of Gianfranco Buvoli, who had been director of the Rovereta gaming hall until 2009. In that case, trust had broken down completely: the board of directors had placed him under observation for six months, reviewed his expenses, and ultimately sought reimbursement for those deemed improper.
In gaming halls, it is customary to apply rotation rules for positions of responsibility — for what might be called “hygienic” reasons. Such a changeover typically happens after five years. Caronia had been director for 17. Praised by both politicians and the media, he was — once again — hailed as the man who saved the day. He oversaw a strategic sector without scandal, filled state coffers, and sponsored countless local initiatives. Oversight? Why bother, if things are going well? Rotation? Have we lost our minds?
The government has brushed it off with a press release, assuring that Giochi del Titano will reopen next Monday. You don’t need a crystal ball to foresee what comes next. A new savior of the homeland will arrive, to whom we will delegate the roles of both the overseen and the overseer. Because if we leave him in that post long enough, the blame will belong to everyone. And therefore to no one.
Sonia Tura
Journalist, former chief editor of San Marino RTV and former chair of the Authority for Information
