Italy has decided to say “arrivederci” — for now — to its sweeping overhaul of land-based gambling regulations. Originally slated for implementation in December 2025, the reform package has been officially postponed to August 2026, following pressure from regional authorities and a formal appeal led by MP Mariangela Matera of the Fratelli d’Italia party.
At the center of the delay is the ambitious Reorganisation Decree, a reform aimed at unifying the licensing of physical gambling venues, enforcing strict location requirements (such as distance from schools and churches), and introducing mandatory ID checks along with player exclusion systems.
The postponement was backed by Italy’s Conferenza Unificata, which includes all 20 regional governments and hundreds of municipalities. Local leaders warned that the original timeline clashed with critical budget planning cycles.
They’re now seeking clearer financial guarantees — particularly a share of the estimated €300 million in annual gaming tax revenue — to fund social programs and mitigate gambling-related harms. Matera clarified that the delay does not signal weakness: “This extension is an opportunity to implement reforms more robustly, aligning fiscal policy and enforcement mechanisms.”
SPORTS BETTING, the main driver of the sector in Italy Agenzia delle Dogane e dei Monopoli say.
Meanwhile, lawmakers also plan to modernize outdated criminal and administrative penalties tied to gambling infractions, hoping to create a more coherent and enforceable legal framework. For Italy’s gaming sector, this pause may offer a more stable, strategically aligned future — but operators must brace for another year of legislative limbo.
