Italian regulator extends approval process for new online gambling licences
The ADM says it will continue to conduct checks into November.
Italy.- The Customs and Monopolies Agency (ADM) has extended its approval process for Italy’s new online gambling concessions. It now intends to complete approvals by November 12 2025 rather than September 17.
It said the extension was due to the tender’s procedural intricacies, including the volume of documentation and vetting under the revamped regulatory framework. The extra time will allow staff to conduct full checks on applicants.
The ADM received 52 licence applications from 46 companies. That compares to 81 licences granted in 2018. That said, licensing has already generated €365m in revenue, exceeding expectation of €300–350m.
By November 12, concessionaires must pay the first tranche of the €7m licence fee, obtain approval from the ADM on gaming account tracking systems and publish their new .it certified domain. Successful bidders must finalise documentation within 35 days of receiving their concession and activate their platforms within six months.
Authorities now forecast a climb to €5.5bn in annual gross gaming revenue (GGR) by 2026. Licence applicants include Flutter Entertainment and Lottomatica, both securing the full quota of five licences each. Novomatic, Eurobet and Betpoint, Stake, DAZN Bet, and Marathonbet, Cirsa via E-Play24, Winamax, Evoke with William Hill and 888, Betsson, bet365, Stanleybet, and LeoVegas
From November to March 2026, phase 2 will see: integration tests, the mass migration of accounts, verification of cyber͏security and activation of the new regime, after which, the second tranche of payment will be due.
New requirements under the ADM’s updated framework include the use of advanced self-limitation tools, such as one-click temporary suspension and customised spending ceilings, messages that show players the amount played and the session time in real time and transparency rules for free spins bonuses.
Meanwhile, minister for sport Andrea Abodi has presented a draft of the proposed Sports Decree in a bid to revitalise Italian sport through infrastructure upgrades and new commercial opportunities. Measures include a possible return of gambling sponsorship, which was banned under the 2018 Dignity Decree.
