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Cash o Credit Card

I know that is always a topic for Italy.
The new Italian Government decided (in fact) to remove the "block" of cash payment. Until now any seller (shop, guide, restaurant) cannot refuse a payment by credit card. Any kind of payment.
The new decision is that this is not anymore valid for any payment below 60€. So, if you are purchasing something costs 50€ and you have only the credi card, the seller is not obligated to accept it. You have to go to an ATM and have the cash to pay.
I am of the same previous opinion: who refuse credit card do it mainly to evade taxes.

(I have written "in fact" because technically they haven't deleted the law who say that is mandatory accept credit card. They have decided that a seller is not fined if he refuses the payment if is lower than 60€. Is like to say that you have to respect speed limits, but you are not fined if you are over the limit. Mafia thanks)

Posted by
3812 posts

The Mafia has been purchasing for decades hundreds of profitable companies in Lombardy, Austria and Germany with cocaine money made in Lombardy, Austria and Germany.

I doubt they were desperate because they couldn't money-launder spending 59 € in cash at the Hardware store down the road in Calabria.

Incidentally a draft budget-law is a draft and not a law. A pinch of optimism wouldn't hurt.

Posted by
15164 posts

In the US there is no law that mandates merchants to accept credit cards or at what amount, yet most do. There are a few (but very few) that may accept only cash, some that don’t want credit cards under $20, others that charge you an extra fee if you use a credit card, but they are rare. The same will happen in Italy. Just let them know you want to pay with a credit card, if they don’t want to accept it, take your business elsewhere. Sooner or later almost everybody will take them for any amount because they don’t want to lose customers.

Posted by
361 posts

I never use credit cards in Italy, once done they always get hacked. I use an ATM card (not debit) to get cash from a bank machine and pay with cash. Love Italy been at least 10 times but it is a different world and using cash is simple. J

Posted by
2317 posts

I never use credit cards in Italy, once done they always get hacked

Virtually impossible to have your CC hacked when you use Contactless Pay.