Overview

• Article 171ter, enacted in 1941 to curb large-scale counterfeit operations, is now being applied to prosecute owners and reviewers of handheld emulators.
• Financial police executed a search in April at Salicini’s home and office, seizing more than 30 retro-emulation devices and his smartphone.
• Prosecutors maintain that the mere presence of unlicensed ROMs on any device qualifies as criminal facilitation regardless of who installed the software.
• Salicini faces up to three years in prison, a €15,000 fine and potential suspension of his YouTube, Instagram and Facebook channels before any formal indictment.
• It remains unclear whether the complaint originated from gaming publishers such as Nintendo or Sony or from a state authority, underscoring uncertainty over enforcement motivations.