Italy Imposes €7 Million Fee for Fresh 9-Year Online Gaming Permits

Italy's gaming landscape is about to get a massive facelift with the introduction of the country's new online gambling license regime. Here's a rundown of the changes set to transform the industry.

New Licensing Rules

Timeframe and Availability: A nine-year validity replaces previous shorter terms, with 50 licenses up for grabs at an eye-watering €7 million each (expected implementation late 2024).
Governing Body: The Agenzia delle Dogane e dei Monopoli (ADM) takes charge, enforcing stricter technical guidelines for platform certification covering IT infrastructure, data governance, and game integrity.

Financial Obligations

Recurring Fees: Operators cough up 3% of their Gross Gaming Revenue (GGR) net of taxes annually.
Responsible Gambling Investments: A mandatory allocation of 0.2% of GGR funds initiatives promoting responsible gambling practices.

Operational Restrictions

Certification Demands: Rigorous compliance checks by certification bodies, including evaluations of gaming platforms, apps, and account systems.
Advertising Policies: Potential modifications to the 2019 Dignity Decree’s advertising restrictions under Phase 2 reforms in 2025, offering some flexibility for operators.

Focus on Responsible Gambling

Prevention Tools: Self-exclusion, deposit limits, and real-time monitoring are mandatory features incorporated into operator systems.
Funding Utilization: Investments to tackle gambling addiction and bolster consumer protection.

Projected Industry Impact

Market consolidation: Higher startup costs and operational demands favor large operators over smaller contenders.
Digital Growth: Therefore, user penetration is projected to reach 6.4% in 2025, rising to 4.3 million users by 2029, driven by regulated online platforms.
Compliance Burdens: Operators face increased administrative obligations due to expanded certification requirements and continual oversight.

This reform aims to strike a balance between market expansion and consumer protection, solidifying Italy’s status as Europe's leading regulated online gambling hub.

The validity of Italy's new online gambling licenses will be nine years, replacing previous shorter terms, with only 50 licenses available for purchase at an estimated cost of €7 million each, starting from late 2024.
The Agenzia delle Dogane e dei Monopoli (ADM) will enforce stricter technical guidelines for platform certification, focusing on IT infrastructure, data governance, and game integrity.
Operators will be obligated to pay 3% of their Gross Gaming Revenue (GGR) net of taxes annually, and allocate 0.2% of their GGR for initiatives promoting responsible gambling practices.
Rigorous compliance checks by certification bodies will be required for gaming platforms, apps, and account systems, with potential adjustments to advertising policies under Phase 2 reforms in 2025.
Self-exclusion, deposit limits, and real-time monitoring will become mandatory features in operator systems, with investments aimed at tackling gambling addiction and improving consumer protection.
The reform may lead to market consolidation as larger operators benefit from higher startup costs and operational demands, while user penetration is expected to reach 6.4% in 2025 and grow to 4.3 million users by 2029, largely due to regulated online platforms.