Italy: Communications Regulatory Authority Imposed EUR 750'000 Fine on Google for unlawful gambling advertising

On 19 July 2022, by decision (“the contested decision”), the Communications Regulatory Authority (AGCOM) imposed on Google Ireland Limited (“Google”) a fine of EUR 750’000 for having promoted numerous websites for games with monetary winnings on the video-sharing platform YouTube in breach of Article 9 of Decree-Law No 87/2018, found that 630 videos (“the videos at issue”) were uploaded to five channels belonging to the content creator Spike with whom Google had signed a commercial partnership agreement under the YouTube Partnership Programme (YPP), ordered Google to remove those videos and any other similar videos shared by Spike, and noted that Google subsequently deleted the videos at issue from YouTube.