Based on the latest news and statistics, Italy’s gaming industry growth and expansion show no signs of slowing down. As SiGMA announces its plans to host its biggest show in Italy in 2025, let’s take a closer look at the current state of the market, including regulations, advertising restrictions, and the latest statistics.
Positive market outlook
According to recent data, Italy’s gambling industry has shown remarkable growth:
- The total Gross Gaming Revenue (GGR) increased from €1.0 billion in 2010 to €4.5 billion in 2023, reflecting substantial market expansion.
- Online casinos and sports betting remain the largest segments, contributing significantly to overall market GGR.
- In December 2023, the igaming revenue reached €315.8 million, showing a 1.2% year-on-year increase despite a 2% monthly decline.
Key trends from September 2024 data
The online casino sector continues to show strong growth, with a 22.4% increase compared to September 2023. Key points include:
- Total spending: €241.1 million
- 5.7% increase from August 2024
- Lottomatica leads with nearly 30% market share
Regulatory landscape and advertising restrictions
Italy has implemented strict regulations on gambling advertising:
- There has been a comprehensive ban on gambling advertising across all media since July 15, 2019.
- This ban includes TV, radio, outdoor advertising, sponsorships, and search engine marketing.
- In 2024, the Italian Board of Ministries approved new rules for online gambling, including:
- A tender for 50 new online gaming licenses to be awarded by December 31, 2024.
- Each 9-year license will cost €7 million, plus an annual fee of 3% of GGR net of gambling taxes.
- Stricter requirements for suitability criteria and increased potential penalties.
The Italian communications regulator, AGCOM, has been actively enforcing the gambling advertising ban:
- In 2024, X (formerly Twitter) was fined €1.35 million for violating the country’s gambling ad ban.
- AGCOM identified nine violations on X, including accounts advertising games of chance.
- Other social media platforms have also faced penalties, with Meta receiving a €5.85 million fine for hosting gambling promotional content.
Latest developments
- The Italian government has introduced stronger measures against unlicensed gambling websites, including payment blocking.
- As of June 2024, 50% of video gamers in Italy were women, with 32% of the Italian population (approximately 14.2 million people) identified as gamers.
- The overall Italian gaming market reached a valuation of US$22.98 billion in 2022 and is projected to grow to US$31.46 billion by 2028, with a CAGR of about 5% from 2023 to 2028.
SiGMA heads to Italy in 2025
In 2025, SiGMA´s European event – SiGMA Central Europe – will be heading to Italy. The 2025 edition, set to take place in November, is expected to attract a record-breaking 30,000 delegates – SiGMA´s largest event to date.
