Online casinos boom in Italy – poker makes a comeback
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21 Nov 2024 •
Reading time: 2 minutes The Italian online gambling world is booming. Online casinos in particular continue to grow like crazy and give the entire sector a big boost. In September 2024, online casinos saw a growth of no less than 22.4% compared to the previous year, with a total turnover of €241.1 million. Even in one month there was an increase of 5.7%.
- In September, revenues fell by 8.6% compared to the previous year, resulting in a total of €4.8 million.
- There was a slight rebound with a monthly growth of 5.5%.
- PokerStars retains the largest position with over 35% market share in this category.
Deally.eu reports that Lottomatica is the big winner here, with almost 30% of the market. Sisal remains strong in second place with more than 10%, while 888 is working its way up and has now passed Snai. The competition is fierce, but Lottomatica remains proud.
Betting remains stable, but growing less quickly
While casinos are growing rapidly, things are calming down a bit in the world of online sports betting. Here we saw an increase of 1.7% year-on-year, with a turnover of €112.1 million in September. Compared to the previous month, turnover decreased by 21.2%. Nevertheless, Lottomatica also managed to increase its market share to almost 30%, while Sisal, Bet365 and Snai continue to perform well with more than 10% each.
Poker tournaments make a comeback
Good news for poker players: tournaments are on the rise again. In September, this segment grew by 8% compared to a year earlier, with a turnover of €9.5 million and a monthly growth of 14.5%. PokerStars firmly took the lead again with more than 40% market share, followed by Lottomatica with 19% and Sisal with 11%. Poker seems to be breathing some life back into the sector.
Poker cash games lag behind
But not everything is rosy in poker land. Cash games continue to decline. September saw a decline of 8.6% compared to the previous year, resulting in a total turnover of €4.8 million. However, there was a small upturn with growth of 5.5% in the month. PokerStars remains the leader with over 35% of the market in this category.
Changes in gaming behaviour and response from the Italian gambling watchdog
Gambling behaviour in Italy is visibly changing. More and more young to middle-aged men are opting for casino games such as slots and roulette, while football betting remains popular. To help manage these trends, the Italian Customs and Monopoly Authority (ADM) has introduced self-exclusion and deposit limits in an attempt to keep players aware of their gambling behaviour and ensure that gambling remains fun and responsible.