Italian online gambling market to consolidate under 46 licences
The number of online gambling sites in Italy is expected to drop fall by over 80 per cent.
Italy. The Italian Customs and Monopolies Agency, ADM, has announced that it has received 46 applications for online gambling licences under its new regulatory regime. That compares to the 93 applications received in the last round of licensing back in 2018, when 81 licences were granted.
As anticipated, the steep increase in the licence fee from €200,000 in 2018 to €7m prevented many smaller licensees from applying. Nevertheless, the total of 46 applications is close to the Ministry of Economy and Finance’s target of 50 licences to raise €350m.
The new framework also imposes a rule of one domain per licence, ending the possibility of multi-brand operations (skins). That means that the number of gambling websites in Italy is likely to fall from around 420 to just 50.
The window for applications closed at the end of May. Confirmed applicants include Betpoint, Betsson, bet365, DAZN Bet, E-Play24/Cirsa, Eurobet, Flutter, Evoke (the former 888 Holdings), IGT, MGM’s LeoVegas, Lottomatica, Marathonbet, Microgame, Netwin, Novomatic, NTS, Stanleybet, Stake, Winamax.
The ADM said it will complete checks over the coming weeks before formally awarding the licences in September. After licences are granted, operators will have six months to launch under the new framework. Existing licence-holders may continue to offer gambling until March 2026 in order to allow a transition period.
Criticism of new fee amid Italian online gambling consolidation
The trade body Logico has argued that the dramatic change in the Italian online gambling landscape will limit competition. However, the ADM defeated a legal challenge brought by smaller operators against the new framework, with the Administrative Court upholding the regulator’s right to raise the fee.
ADM director general Marcello Minenna has argued that the €7m fee is proportionate. He has stated that a more consolidated market was part of the aim of the new framework in a bid to ensure closer regulation and improved consumer protection and financial sustainability. He previously noted that market share had already become consolidated, with 30 operators taking 94 per cent of industry revenue.
The Italian online gambling market generated €5bn in gross gambling revenue (GGR) in 2024, a rise of 17 per cent year-on-year. Italian operators accounted for 54 of the 81 licences, running around 320 websites, while international operators ran around 100 sites. Ireland’s Flutter Entertainment has gained a position as the market leader following its acquisitions of Sisal and Snaitech. It’s followed by Lottomatica, which bought SKS365 in 2024.
