Italy

Online sports betting in Italy - A total gambling law reform ahead?

Gambling has existed in Italy since the ancient Romans, and since then, the country's betting market has grown to the third-largest in Europe, after Germany and the list-topping United Kingdom. However, even with the long gambling-related history, giving online sportsbooks the go-ahead in the country was a challenge.

Before 2006, Italy depended on two monopoly operators backed by the state for online and retail sports betting. During this time, the state blocked all foreign sports betting sites to stop Italians from wagering on them, even though these operators held licenses from other EU countries. However, such a strict approach was seen as violating EU Directives, and after investigating the case, The European Commission brought infringement proceedings against Italy in 2009.

This move from EC resulted in Italian authorities making amendments to the gambling law, and therefore, foreign online gambling operators were allowed to tap into the country's market, giving that these operators acquire proper license issued Amministrazione Autonoma dei Monopoli di Stato – Autonomous Administration of State Monopolies (AAMS).

From this point forward, online sports betting has been fully legal and broadly available for all Italian citizens as multiple top sportsbooks have entered the market. Around 90 gambling operators are licensed by AAMS, and roughly 30 offer sports betting products.

It's vital to note that Italy is planning a significant overhaul of its gambling laws in 2024 to fight against illegal gambling and increase tax revenues. Here, the most drastic measure would be the massive, 35-fold increase in licensing fees, which would see the fee jump from 2018's €200,000 ($392,000) to €7 million ($7.66 million). Industry stakeholders have criticized this plan, citing that the change would cause remarkable harm to small businesses and hinder the access of new sports betting and gambling operators to the Italian market.

Sports betting legislation in Italy

After legalizing sports betting and allowing foreign sportsbooks to operate in the Italian market via acquired licenses, there haven't been any restrictions regarding betting market availability. All this means that legal Italian betting apps can quite freely provide their customers with basically every type of betting there is, including horse race wagering.

DFS and other types of Fantasy sports are also fully legal in Italy.

Most importantly, according to the country's gambling laws, persons under 18 are prohibited from sports betting. Italy doesn't tax individuals' gambling winnings. Still, the operators are charged a 3% operating fee based on the net revenue income and an extra yearly charge of 0.2% to support initiatives promoting responsible gambling.

Recent updates from the Italian sports betting scene

• April 16, 2024: Betsson Sport has partnered with Serie A's Torino FC, becoming their official sponsor. Announced during a match against Juventus, this collaboration aims to boost both Betsson’s presence in Italy and fan engagement through unique promotions. The partnership is expected to offer memorable experiences and enhance the visibility of Italian sports.

• March 28, 2024: Italy's Ministry of Economy and Finance (MEF) is currently in discussions with officials from 20 autonomous regions and 100 municipalities about implementing reforms from new gambling decrees. These changes aim to update and modify Italy's gambling laws to align with recent trends.

• February 26, 2024: Italian tennis player Andrea Rita is banned by the International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) for 15 months due to violations of its anti-corruption rules, including betting on tennis matches. The ban covers all forms of professional tennis and extends from January 26, 2024, to April 25, 2025.

• November 2, 2023: Lottomatica Group agrees to purchase SKS365 Malta Holdings, an Italian-focused operator. SKS365, known for its online platform and numerous retail sports betting venues, operates popular brands like PlanetWin365 and PlanetPay365.

• October 26, 2023: Italian footballer Sandro Tonali receives an 18-month ban for breaching sports betting regulations, which is shortened to 10 months if he undergoes an eight-month rehabilitation program. Additionally, he faces a €20,000 fine.

• October 17, 2023: The Italian Federal Prosecutor's Office imposes a seven-month ban on Juventus footballer Nicolò Fagioli for betting on football matches through an unlicensed platform, accompanied by a €12,500 fine.

• May 19, 2023: SIS and MST partners to broadcast the 140th Italian Gallop Derby to UK and Irish operators, enabling fixed-odds betting on the event for the first time. Bettors can wager on the nine races, including the most prestigious group contests.

All legal gambling options in Italy - Home of the oldest casino in the world

In addition to the 2009 legal amendments, which allowed foreign gambling operators to enter the Italian market, two other legislative updates, The Finance Act of 2007 and The "Comunitaria" decree (2011), have been absolute breakthroughs for the country's gambling landscape. After these laws, casinos, poker, and all other card games were legalized in Italy, both in person and online.

Italy boasts a total of five traditional retail casinos, and regarding such establishments, Casinò di Venezia, the first retail casino in the world, opened its doors in 1638 in Venice. Casinò di Campione and Sanremo Casino were founded in early 1900, so it's safe to say that the gambling tradition goes way back in Italy.

Other gambling-related news & stories from Italy

• January 4, 2024: Italy is moving forward with a major overhaul of its online gambling industry in 2024, implementing a decree from the Ministry of the Economy and Finance (MEF) despite disagreements over the new licensing fees, which operators criticize as poorly planned.

• December 20, 2023: Play'n GO strengthens its foothold in Italy by partnering with William Hill, enabling Italian players to enjoy Play'n GO's full suite of online casino games, including well-known titles like Book of Dead and Rise of Olympus.

• December 8, 2023: Italy's communications authority, AGCOM (Autorità per le Garanzie nelle Comunicazioni), imposes substantial fines on YouTube and Twitch for suspected violations of the country's ban on gambling advertisements. YouTube faces a fine of €2.25 million ($2.45 million), while Twitch is fined €900,000 ($970,000), as initially reported by Reuters.

• December 19, 2023: The European Gaming and Betting Association urges Italian legislators to reconsider proposed policies, including a license fee hike, arguing it would disproportionately harm smaller gaming businesses. They caution that implementing such measures could drastically reduce the number of licensed operators from 91 to just 15-20.