Italy withdraws betting reorganisation from 2026 agenda

Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has removed the ‘Reorganisation Decree’ of land-based gambling from Italy’s remaining political agenda for 2026.

The development was expected by both the Chamber of Deputies and Senate as the Decree was omitted as a policy plan listed on the Council of Ministers agenda.

Italian media views the matter as effectively dead in the water, as Meloni has instructed the Ministry of Economy and Finance (MEF) to focus on settling the 2027 Budget and completing its wider programme of fiscal reforms and new tax measures.

The decision follows reports that Meloni refused to sign off the long-awaited decree for its inclusion in the Budget 2027 last Friday.

In doing so, the PM ended a near two years of negotiations between the state, autonomous regions and municipalities on the future governance of Italy’s retail gambling sector and licensing of business.

At the centre of the dispute are the final terms governing licence approvals and the regulation of betting shops, gaming halls and bingo venues. 

Government sources indicate the Prime Minister was dissatisfied that the settlement continued to leave significant powers over venue distances, opening hours and licensing conditions in the hands of regional and municipal authorities.

The objective of the reorganisation was to establish a uniformed governance of gambling licences under the oversight of the ADM, Italy’s Customs and Monopolies Agency.

Negotiations were set to replace the fragmented system of local restrictions that has produced years of legal disputes and inconsistent licensing conditions across Italy.

Italian courts brought the matter to Meloni, hoping to settle licensing disputes.

In response, the MEF and ADM will continue to enforce existing retail betting, gaming machine and bingo concessions for a further 12 months while a longer-term solution remains unresolved.

Italian gaming vents at unresolved retail issues

The delay comes as the latest figures from the MEF underline the challenges facing Italy’s land-based gambling market. 

During the first six months of 2026, total gaming tax revenues fell to €3.64bn, down 6.3% year-on-year, while indirect tax receipts from lotteries and other gaming activities declined 8.4% to €3.07bn. 

Gaming machines, the largest contributor to public gambling revenues, generated €2.47bn in tax receipts, a 7.3% decline compared with the same period in 2025.

The weaker fiscal performance is likely to reinforce concerns over the long-term sustainability of Italy’s retail gambling estate, with operators continuing to invest under temporary concession arrangements rather than a modernised licensing framework.

The unresolved matter on gambling licences, has been met with industry frustration.

Speaking to investors this week, Guglielmo Angelozzi, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Lottomatica, noted that he expected a delay on the matter, and remarked that the industry cannot enter its next phase of consolidation with unsettled terms for the retail sector.

“Whether you have an agreement or not, basically nothing changes. The outcome is exactly the same in the next two to three years,” he said.

Attention now turns to the government’s 2027 Budget, where another extension of existing concessions appears increasingly inevitable. 

However, with the Prime Minister prioritising fiscal consolidation ahead of the next electoral cycle, there is little indication that the government intends to reopen negotiations on a politically contentious gambling settlement next year.