Op-Ed: “That’s a Bingo! Some Remarks on Joined Cases C-728/22, C-729/22, C-730/22, Anib and Play Game”

The case concerned the interpretation of the Concessions Directive 2014/23/EU and the Treaty freedom of establishment and free movement of services (respectively Articles 49 and 56 of the TFEU) and the compatibility therewith of certain features of the ‘technical extension’ scheme that applied in Italy to expired concessions awarded for bingo gaming activities.

The requests for a preliminary ruling were made in the context of disputes between two professional groups of undertakings that manage bingo gaming activities in Italy and undertakings in that business sector and, on the other hand, the Italian Ministry of Economy and Finance and the Customs and Monopolies Agency (ADM). The disputes concerned the validity of the ‘technical