Italy has decided to extend the approval process for online gambling licences until 12 November, giving the Agenzia delle Dogane e dei Monopoli (ADM) more time to carry out rigorous checks.
Strategic extension
The Agenzia delle Dogane e dei Monopoli (ADM), Italy’s gambling regulator, has announced the postponement of the deadline for the approval of new online gaming licences. Initially set for 17 September, the deadline has now been set for 12 November 2025.
This decision is intended to ensure that each application is examined with the utmost rigour. The ADM has specified that this additional time will allow its teams to carry out exhaustive checks on the applications received.
The ADM has not yet clarified whether this decision will affect the transition period running until March 2026, when only new licence holders will be authorised to operate legally.
An increasingly expensive market
On 30 May, the ADM closed its call for tenders for the award of new remote gaming licences. Forty-six operators received initial approval, a significant drop from the 93 applications submitted during the previous procedure in 2018. At that time, 81 operators were granted licences.
Among the big names approved this year are Betfair, Sisal, Snaitech (all three under the Flutter Entertainment banner), Bet365 (Hillside), 888 Italia (Evoke), LeoVegas, Betsson and William Hill. These operators will now have to pay an entry fee of €7 million per brand and per business segment, an amount that is prohibitive for smaller players.
By way of comparison, during the previous wave of regularisation, the fee was only €200,000.
Stricter tax and regulatory framework
In addition to the significant increase in licence fees, the new rules introduce a heavier tax burden. Operators must now pay:
- 24.5% of gross gaming revenue (GGR) for online sports betting;
- 25.5% of GGR for casino games;
- An annual levy of 3% of GGR;
- A mandatory investment of 0.2% of GGR in responsible gaming campaigns, capped at €1 million.
These measures are intended to better regulate the industry and reduce the risks associated with problematic gambling behaviour, while increasing tax revenues for the Italian government. However, according to several industry analysts, it could also reduce the competitiveness of the Italian market.
Strengthening player protection
One of the priorities of this reform remains consumer protection. New licence holders will be required to comply with stricter player protection rules.