Italian Gambling Regulator Intends to Implement Changes from 2025 to 2027
Headline: Italy's Gambling Crackdown: Modernizing Europe's Most Controlled Betting Market
- Italy's Gambling Sponsorship Debate and Planned Reforms
- Turbocharging Inspections and Tightening Controls
- Fighting Money Laundering and Black Market Connections
- Technological Advancements for Fraud Prevention
- Europe's Tougher Stance on Gambling
Italy's gambling industry is undergoing a transformation, positioning the country as Europe's most regulated betting market.
Tougher Oversight and Modernized Licensing System
In the face of heated discussions about resuming football gambling sponsorship, Italy's gambling authority, the Agenzia delle dogane e dei Monopoli (ADM), has rolled out a comprehensive reform to reshape the gambling sector. This reform, part of the 2025 budget strategy, is based on the 2024 Gambling Reorganization Act, designed to create a more transparent, modernized, and tightly controlled gambling environment.
Doubling Inspections and Stricter Controls
A key element of the reform involves doubling inspections in betting shops, bingo halls, and gaming arcades to guarantee compliance with regulations. Operators will now be required to submit self-declarations concerning their compliance measures, as well as more frequent checks on license fee payments.
Cutting Ties with the Underworld
ADM aims to strengthen its war on money laundering and cut ties between the gambling industry and the black market, crucial players in annual Italian gambling losses estimated at 18.5 billion EUR.
Technological Innovations for Fraud Prevention
Technology will play a vital role in the implementation of these updates. ADM plans to implement a real-time monitoring system, enabling early detection of potential risk factors.
Stricter Advertising Regulations Across Europe
While Italy deliberates over the possible return of gambling sponsors in football and intensifies its crackdown on money laundering and uncontrolled advertising, several other European countries are following suit.
A More Transparent Italy
The ADM has declared ambitions to make Italy Europe's safest and most regulated gambling market in the long term. Steps include international cooperation with other authorities to combat illegal online gambling providers and the creation of an open-data platform providing public access to key information such as licensing decisions, compliance reports, and other relevant data.
Sources: Article in Italian | [English Link]
Insights:
- New licensing fees and annual fees of 3% of Gross Gaming Revenue (GGR), provided applicants meet revenue requirements.
- IT rule updates to ban skin sites and limit operators to a single website per concession.
- Phase 2 reforms focusing on land-based gambling and potentially addressing the 2019 Dignity Decree's advertising ban.
- Outright ban on skin gambling websites, reshaping esports-related gambling in Italy.
- Commitment to sustainability and innovation, as highlighted at the Italian Gaming Expo in 2025.
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- What are the requirements for new licensing fees in Italy's gambling industry? They include an annual fee of 3% of Gross Gaming Revenue, only if the applicant meets the revenue requirements.
- In an effort to create a safer gambling environment, Italy's goal is to become the safest and most regulated gambling market in Europe, making significant strides in combating money laundering, black market connections, and uncontrolled advertising.
- Concerned about the resurgence of gambling sponsorship in sports, Italy's gambling authority plans to implement stricter advertising regulations, similar to the Dignity Decree's 2019 advertising ban.
- In the face of heightened technology use in gambling, Italy aims to adopt a real-time monitoring system to prevent fraud, ensuring a safe and modernized gambling lifestyle for Italian citizens.
