Share This Article
As of today, the new Italian online gambling licence regime is officially in force, marking the most significant regulatory shift in Italy’s online gambling sector in over a decade. This reform does not simply renew the market: it reshapes the entire structure, raises compliance expectations, and redefines how operators, new entrants and suppliers can access and compete within Italy’s regulated environment.
This is a turning point, and the way companies respond in the coming weeks will determine their competitive position for the next nine years.
A New Regime Built on Higher Entry Standards
The new Italian online gambling licence introduces a unified nine-year concession covering all remote-gambling verticals. ADM has moved from a fragmented tender to a consolidated structure intended to improve legal certainty, reduce technical inconsistency and promote long-term investment.
The key features include:
-
€ 7 million licence fee (€ 4M at award + € 3M at go-live)
-
Much stricter technical, AML and organisational controls
-
A reduction in the number of concessionaires, now approximately 46
-
Stronger controls on multi-brand and multi-skin models
-
A clearer focus on responsible gaming and platform integrity
This is not a marginal update. Today marks the beginning of a far more selective and scrutinised Italian online gambling market.
A More Selective Market: Concentration is Now a Structural Design
With the regime applying from today, the competitive effects are immediately visible. The high cost of the Italian online gambling licence, combined with ADM’s more rigorous vetting, has resulted in fewer authorised operators. The sector is entering a consolidation phase where:
-
Economies of scale matter more
-
Compliance maturity becomes a competitive advantage
-
Operational robustness is no longer optional
-
Only structurally sound operators can sustain long-term growth
This is not a market in which “testing the waters” or “partial investments” will work. ADM has built a regime that rewards long-term commitment.
What Today Means for New Entrants
For companies considering entry into Italy, the new framework presents both opportunities and significant barriers.
1. High Financial and Structural Thresholds
The €7 million fee is only the beginning. New entrants must demonstrate:
-
Verified technological capability
-
A resilient platform able to meet ADM’s real-time reporting expectations
-
Proven AML systems
-
Business continuity and disaster-recovery controls
-
A structured responsible-gaming framework
ADM expects new entrants to be operationally mature before go-live, not after.
2. Stronger Business Planning Requirements
New entrants must adopt a business model capable of absorbing:
- Increased supervisory reporting
-
Market-concentration dynamics
-
Stricter supplier due-diligence obligations
Entering Italy today requires a strategic approach, not a speculative one.
3. A Longer-Term Opportunity
The Italian market remains one of Europe’s largest and most profitable, but the new regime ensures that only well-governed, well-capitalised operators can participate. For new entrants that meet the requirements, today marks the beginning of a stable, predictable nine-year cycle.
What Changes for Game Suppliers and Platform Providers
The reform directly impacts not just operators but also the entire supply chain. Game suppliers, platform providers, betting engines and technology vendors face new obligations starting today.
1. Mandatory Certification and Technical Controls
Suppliers must ensure that:
-
All games comply with the updated technical standards
-
Platforms meet ADM’s requirements on fraud detection, session tracking and transparency
-
RNG and RTP certifications are fully aligned with new rules
-
Reporting capabilities support operators’ real-time obligations
2. Stricter Due-Diligence by Operators
Under the new Italian online gambling licence, operators are required to apply enhanced oversight to their suppliers, which includes:
-
Detailed AML and integrity checks
-
Supplier risk assessments
-
Contractual controls and audit rights
-
Verification of technical conformity
Suppliers must therefore elevate their compliance posture or risk losing access to the market.
3. A Shift Toward Fewer, More Strategic Partnerships
Because operators today are more selective, suppliers should expect:
-
Longer-term, more structured integrations
-
Higher expectations on uptime and game performance
-
Demand for stronger responsible-gaming tools
-
Pressure to modernise legacy tech stacks
This is an opportunity for high-quality suppliers—and a challenge for those that fail to adapt.
The Road Ahead: A Market for the Prepared
The new Italian online gambling licence regime applying from today is not simply regulatory housekeeping. It represents a structural redesign of Italy’s digital gambling ecosystem. Operators, new entrants and suppliers must all elevate their governance, technology and compliance approaches.
Those who act immediately — strengthening their frameworks, reviewing supplier ecosystems, investing in platform integrity — will secure a competitive advantage that lasts throughout the nine-year cycle.
Those who wait will struggle.
A Final Question for Industry Leaders
Now that the regime applies from today, the real discussion begins:
Which operators and suppliers are ready to meet Italy’s new standards—and which will fall behind?
On a similar topic, you can read the article “Advocate General of the CJEU Issues Opinion on Claims for Gambling Losses“.