Italy dice benvenuto to new online gambling era 

Italy’s new online gambling regime went live this morning without disruption, marking the beginning of a new regulatory era for one of Europe’s largest betting and gaming markets.

At 7 am, the 52 freshly sanctioned licences from the Agenzia delle Dogane e dei Monopoli (ADM) officially came into force — slightly later than the planned midnight rollout following minor technical adjustments.

The reform introduces tougher compliance rules, significantly higher entry costs, and stronger player protections, while cutting the number of active domains in the market to just 52.

A total of 46 operators secured the new concessions, with each licence costing a record €7m, generating €364m in total revenue for the Italian state — surpassing the Ministry of Economy (MEF) and Finance’s initial projection of €350m.

Among the most significant structural changes is the abolition of “skins”, which previously allowed multiple affiliate sites to operate under a single master licence and domain IP.

From today, every licensee is limited to one official domain — a move that has led to the closure of hundreds of affiliate websites overnight. ADM argues that this simplification will make compliance and enforcement far more effective.

Player protection has also been reinforced under the new framework. Self-exclusion tools and spending caps remain mandatory, while operators must now enable player registration via Italy’s SPID digital ID or electronic ID card, as confirmed by an ADM decree earlier this week.

Italy’s online gambling sector — the second largest in Europe behind the UK — recorded €5bn gross player spending in 2024, generating €1.1bn in tax receipts and €3.8bn in operator revenues. Analysts forecast the market could expand to €6bn by 2025, with state income potentially climbing to €1.5bn.

The licensing reset has also prompted a shake-up among major international brands. Notably, Betway, Unibet, Betaland, Betn1 and 1xBet have chosen not to renew under the new regime, marking their exit from the Italian market.

ADM officials described the transition as a “smooth and decisive reset” for a market long criticised for fragmentation and weak oversight.

Generational changes to continue in 2026

The reforms do not end here. In 2026, the Italian government will move ahead with Phase-2 of the reorganisation of the gambling Decree, which will establish an entirely new federal framework for the governance of land-based gambling venues — including arcades, bingo halls, casinos, and sports betting franchise networks.

This summer, the Meloni government confirmed it would re-open discussions on the long-disputed Dignity Decree of 2018, which imposed Italy’s blanket ban on gambling advertising and sponsorship. The review will form part of a broader renegotiation led by Maurizio Leo, Deputy Minister of the Economy and Finance, in coordination with Sports Minister Andrea Abodi.

Talks are scheduled with Serie A league officials, now led by newly elected president Ezio Simonelli, as clubs continue to lobby for a more flexible and commercially viable sponsorship landscape.

ADM maintains confidence that the ongoing reforms — both digital and land-based — will position Italy as Europe’s most compliant, best-governed and tax-efficient gambling market, completing a regulatory transformation years in the making.