Italy’s World Cup debacle intensifies calls for end of gambling ad ban
Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has ordered an inquiry into Italian football’s governance and funding.
Italy.- The fallout from Italy’s failure to qualify for the 2026 FIFA World Cup could end up benefitting the country’s gambling sector, even if it means lower betting activity during the tournament. The Azzurri’s defeat to Bosnia and Herzegovina in the qualifiers, knocking the team out of the finals in the USA, Mexico, and Canada, has intensified calls for Italy’s ban on gambling ads and sponsorship to be lifted.
Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has already ordered an inquiry into Italian football’s governance and funding. The Italian Football Federation (FIGC) is the focal point of criticism, and president Gabriele Gravina resigned on April 2 following pressure from the government. His departure was followed by that of former delegation head Gianluigi Buffon and of head coach Gennaro Gattuso.
Amid public and media fury, policymakers are now increasingly recognising that Italian sport is suffering from a chronic funding shortfall. Serie A’s poor showing in European competitions this year, with clubs like Inter Milan eliminated early, also demonstrated a decline.
Gravina has criticised government inaction over proposals to restore financial sustainability, which include repealing the 2018 Dignity Decree that banned gambling adverts in Italy. He had also proposed a so-called “right to bet” initiative, which would allocate a share of gambling revenues to football infrastructure, youth academies, and grassroots programmes.
He argued that the Dignity Decree had been largely ineffective in reducing gambling harm while depriving clubs of vital income, leaving them disadvantaged compared to European rivals. Critics say the decree has cost Italian football up to €1bn in lost sponsorship revenue.
Minister for sport Andrea Abodi announced proposals to lift Italy’s ban on gambling sponsorship in sport in a draft decree last July, but progress has been slow. New Italian online gambling licences finally came into effect late last year, while drawn-out Italian land-based gambling reforms are expected to finally be agreed on this year after years of debate.
Gravina was due to present his reform package to the Chamber of Deputies’ Culture Committee, but his resignation leaves the proposal in limbo.
