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Italy’s 2026 gambling licenses tender could become the most significant regulatory overhaul of the country’s land-based gaming sector in more than a decade.
With expected investments exceeding EUR 1.5 billion, the reform is not simply about renewing gambling licenses but about reshaping the structure, economics, and compliance framework of Italy’s retail gambling industry.
For operators, investors, and regulators alike, the 2026 gambling licenses tender represents a turning point. It introduces higher financial thresholds, potential consolidation among operators, and new regulatory constraints that could significantly alter the competitive landscape of the Italian gambling market.
Italy’s Gambling Market Is Entering a New Phase
Italy already hosts one of the largest regulated gambling markets in Europe, combining a strong retail network with a highly developed online sector. However, the regulatory framework governing land-based gaming has gradually become fragmented due to overlapping national rules and local restrictions.
The upcoming 2026 gambling licenses tender aims to restore a more coherent structure to the sector. By redefining the allocation of betting and gaming machine gambling licenses, the government intends, though the operations of the Italian gambling regulator ADM (Agenzia delle Dogane e dei Monopoli), to modernize the system while ensuring continued fiscal revenues for the Italian Ministry of Economy and Finance (MEF) and stronger regulatory oversight.
The reform is also part of the broader reorganization of the Italian public gambling sector, which seeks to balance three main objectives:
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ensuring tax revenue stability for the State
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strengthening responsible gambling safeguards
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maintaining a controlled and transparent market structure
Within this context, the 2026 gambling licenses tender becomes a cornerstone of the Italian government’s strategy for the gambling industry.
The Economic Scale of the 2026 Gambling Licenses Tender
The financial dimension of the 2026 gambling licenses tender illustrates the magnitude of the reform.
Two key segments will be involved: retail betting operations and gaming machines.
Betting shop gambling licenses
The tender is expected to include gambling licenses for approximately 10,000 betting points across Italy. These licenses will be divided into 200 lots, each covering around 50 betting locations.
The estimated base value for the betting segment alone is approximately EUR 280 million, although the final auction price may increase depending on market demand.
Gaming machine gambling licenses
The second major component concerns gambling licenses for gaming machines, specifically:
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AWP (Amusement with maximum prizes of € 100) machines
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VLT (Video Lottery Terminals whose maximum prizes are of € 500,000)
The tender is expected to allocate gambling licenses covering:
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200,000 AWP machines
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46,000 VLT machines
These will be organized into 50 lots, each containing approximately 4,000 AWP units and 920 VLT units.
The expected value of this part of the 2026 gambling licenses tender could reach €1.25 billion, making it the largest financial component of the reform.
Why the 2026 Gambling Licenses Tender Could Trigger Market Consolidation
Beyond the financial dimension, the 2026 gambling licenses tender may accelerate a process already visible in several European gambling markets: operator consolidation.
Higher license fees and increased compliance obligations mean that only operators with sufficient capital and operational scale will be able to compete effectively.
In practical terms, the new framework could favor:
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large international gambling groups
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operators with integrated online and retail platforms
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companies capable of managing complex regulatory compliance systems
As a result, the number of independent operators holding gambling licenses in the Italian market may gradually decrease.
This shift is not necessarily negative from a regulatory perspective. A more concentrated market can make regulatory supervision easier and may improve the effectiveness of responsible gambling measures. However, it also raises questions regarding competition and market diversity.
Territorial Restrictions Remain One of the Biggest Challenges
While the 2026 gambling licenses tender seeks to reorganize the national framework, operators will still have to navigate territorial gambling restrictions imposed by regional and municipal authorities.
Over the past decade, several local governments have introduced so-called distance rules (“distanziometri”), which prohibit gambling venues from operating within a certain distance from locations considered sensitive, such as schools, churches, or youth centers.
The practical consequences are significant.
Industry estimates suggest that between 15% and 40% of existing retail gambling venues could face relocation or closure because of these rules.
This creates a structural tension within the Italian gambling regulatory system: while the State issues national gambling licenses through the 2026 gambling licenses tender, local regulations simultaneously limit the physical spaces where gambling activities can legally operate.
For operators evaluating the new gambling licenses, this regulatory uncertainty represents one of the most complex variables in the investment decision.
The Possible Strategic Role of Retail After the PVR Limits
Another factor that could reshape the market following the 2026 gambling licenses tender is the introduction of new restrictions affecting shops selling top up cards for online gambling accounts (the so-called PVR).
Under Legislative Decree No. 41/2024, cash vouchers for online gaming accounts through PVRs are limited to €100 per week.
The primary objective of the measure is to reduce potential risks related to money laundering and excessive gambling behavior. However, the rule may also produce an unexpected market effect.
By limiting certain online payment mechanisms, the regulation could increase the relevance of physical retail networks, which remain an essential interface between players and operators.
If this dynamic materializes, the 2026 gambling licenses tender may ultimately reinforce the strategic importance of retail gambling rather than accelerate its decline.
Safeguards Against Excessive Market Concentration
Given the likelihood of consolidation, policymakers are reportedly evaluating competition safeguards within the 2026 gambling licenses tender.
Among the measures under discussion are limits on the share of gambling licenses that a single operator or corporate group may hold. Preliminary proposals suggest:
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a 25% cap per individual company
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a 35% cap for corporate groups
These limits aim to prevent excessive concentration while still allowing the sector to evolve toward more economically sustainable structures.
The Future of Italy’s Land-Based Gambling Sector
The 2026 gambling licenses tender signals that the Italian government does not intend to abandon the retail gambling model. Instead, the objective appears to be a smaller, more structured, and technologically advanced network.
The reform could lead to:
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fewer but stronger operators
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higher compliance and monitoring standards
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greater integration between retail and online channels
For the gambling industry, the message is clear: the retail sector is not disappearing, but it is evolving.
Operators that successfully adapt to this new regulatory and economic environment will likely define the next phase of Italy’s gambling market.
On a similar topic, you can read the article “The New Italian Online Gambling Licence Applies From Today: What Changes for Operators, New Entrants and Suppliers?“. Also, you can read about the different gambling regimes in almost 50 jurisdictions in the DLA Piper Gambling Laws of the World guide.