Italy’s Ministry of Economy and Finance (MEF) is evaluating a set of provisional measures targeting the regulated gambling sector as Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni’s government prepares its 2027 budget.
The proposals could generate between €400 million ($460 million) and €500 million ($575 million) for state coffers, though none have yet been written into the draft Budget Law and all remain subject to change.
The largest share of the anticipated revenue would stem from a three-year extension of Italy’s retail gambling concessions, currently set to expire at the end of 2026. MEF is considering pushing that deadline to the end of 2029, a move that would let the government continue collecting licensing fees while it works toward a long-delayed reorganization of the country’s retail betting network.
The extension follows Meloni’s decision in August to halt negotiations with the Conference of Regions and Autonomous Provinces over the terms of that reorganization.
The move ended nearly three years of talks and dropped the reform from the government’s 2027 legislative agenda. Reports indicate the abandoned tender process will cost the state an estimated €1.5 billion ($1.72 billion) in expected proceeds.
The mandate tied to Italy’s Tax Delegation Law lapsed on August 29 without state and regional authorities reaching a political agreement on how betting shops, gaming halls and machines will be distributed going forward.
A temporary extension through 2029 could bring in €200 million ($230 million) to €250 million ($287.5 million) per year for the Treasury over the three-year span.
Under the existing fee structure, concessionaires pay €120 ($138) annually per amusement-with-prizes machine and €4,000 ($4,600) per video lottery terminal, while betting fees run €9,500 ($10,925) per agency and €5,700 ($6,555) per betting corner; bingo operators pay €2,800 ($3,220) per hall each month.
Aside from preserving state revenue, the extension would give officials additional time to trial new gaming-machine requirements, restart talks with local authorities and prepare tenders for a long-term regulatory framework.
Scratch-card tender also on the table
The Budget Law could additionally set the groundwork for Italy’s next scratch-card concession, presently held by Brightstar Lottery under a license running through September 30, 2028.
MEF is reportedly considering a starting price near €1 billion ($1.15 billion) for the tender, which is expected to preserve Italy’s single-concessionaire structure.
Officials have pointed to the recent Lotto concession process, which delivered more than €2.2 billion ($2.53 billion) in upfront state revenue, as a favorable precedent.
Scratch cards represent a comparable asset: the concessionaire’s 6% premium on roughly €8 billion ($9.2 billion) in annual sales generates close to €500 million ($575 million) per year. The scratch-card tender would not add to the 2027 budget directly, however, since the time needed to prepare and award the license means the Treasury is unlikely to collect its first two installments before 2028.
Other measures under consideration include a digital Lotto receipt, projected to generate €15 million ($17.25 million), and an additional Lotto and SuperEnalotto draw, estimated to add roughly €50 million ($57.5 million) in annual state revenue.
Officials expect the government to present the Budget Law in October, and all figures described above remain provisional and could be revised or dropped before then.
Operators left without long-term certainty
The stalled retail negotiations have left licensees frustrated, since many had anticipated the government would finalize terms for a new generation of long-term concessions.
Lottomatica CEO Guglielmo Angelozzi has told investors that the delay has complicated the group’s long-term financial planning, and it remains uncertain whether operators will accept another three-year extension in place of the permanent settlement they had expected.
The Meloni government has completed its overhaul of the online gambling sector through a new licensing regime, but it has not resolved the more complex questions surrounding land-based operations.
Officials are not expected to reopen the broader retail reform in 2027, leaving MEF to pursue another temporary extension instead. Operators must now decide whether to renew their licenses for three more years while continuing to operate under Italy’s fragmented regional and municipal rules.