Italy's Reformed Online Gambling Market Attracts Dozens of Operators
The Ministry of Economy and Finance (MEF) in Italy has confirmed the receipt of 46 submissions for online gambling licenses under the nation's newly introduced regulatory model. Each license carries a fee of €7 million. The initiative, led by the Agency of Customs and Monopolies (ADM), is designed to restructure and modernize the country's digital gambling landscape. With 52 licenses on offer, the target of €350 million in state revenue from the application process has now been met.
LISTEN TO THIS ARTICLE:This new regulatory framework supersedes the former system, where gambling licenses were issued at a much lower cost of €200,000. The dramatic increase reflects the government's intention to consolidate the industry.
Related: Italy Looks to Remove Football Gambling Sponsorship BanAs of now, Italy's regulated online gambling environment includes 81 license holders. In 2024, these operators collectively produced approximately €5 billion in gross gaming revenue (GGR). Among these, 54 are Italian entities managing roughly 320 individual websites, while the remaining 27 are foreign-owned operators overseeing about 100 sites.
Under the revised rules, multi-brand platforms will no longer be permitted, as each license must now be linked to just one domain. This restriction is projected to significantly shrink the list of live gambling websites in the country.
Flutter Entertainment is positioned to be a dominant player under the new licensing regime. The company plans to integrate its Italian brands, Sisal and Snaitech, with its other brands, including Betfair, PokerStars and Sky Bet Italia.
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Higher Fees Cause Controversy
Despite the strong response from the industry, the high cost of entry has been met with criticism. Trade association Logico argues that the elevated fee has the effect of marginalizing smaller operators. ADM maintains that the €7 million charge is justified, citing performance metrics and stressing that the policy helps ensure regulatory compliance, financial transparency, and consumer safety in line with EU standards.
Mario Lollobrigida, who heads ADM's gaming division, refuted earlier predictions that only a limited number of companies would apply. He pointed to ongoing expansion in the sector throughout the past two years, as well as a 10% increase in revenue during the first quarter of this year, as clear indicators that the market remains attractive and that the licensing cost is warranted.
The list of applicants includes both international and domestic heavyweights such as bet365, Betpoint, Betsson, DAZN Bet, E-Play24/Cirsa, Eurobet, Evoke, IGT, LeoVegas, Lottomatica, Marathonbet, Microgame, Netwin, Novomatic, NTS, Stake, Stanleybet and Winamax. Successful applicants are expected to receive their licenses by October or November, and will then need to introduce their platforms within six months.
In parallel with this licensing rollout, ADM has won a legal case against a group of smaller operators that contested the increased licensing fee. Italy's courts ruled in favor of ADM, validating the higher cost as a required safeguard to uphold the financial structure of the market and to protect user funds.
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