Italian Tax Office Anticipates 807 Million Euros More in Gambling Taxes 2026

Italy’s national tax and revenue agency, Agenzia delle Entrate (ADE), has formally closed its 2025 State Budget accounts, providing a “favourable opinion” on gambling tax receipts projected for 2026. Following the audit of 2025 figures, the agency revised its 2026 expectations upward, forecasting an additional 807 million Euros in gambling-related receipts as a budget adjustment.

This optimistic outlook stems from systemic market restructuring, including the launch of Italy’s modernized online licensing regime in November 2025 and targeted gross gaming revenue (GGR) tax rate increases approved in the 2025 Budget Law.

Numbers and facts

During 2025, non-lottery gambling licenses generated 6.66 billion Euros in taxes and duties, accounting for approximately 1% of the government's total annual tax revenue of 668 billion Euros. Concurrently, state concessions, covering lotteries, instant win games, and gaming machines, generated a substantial 22.28 billion Euros. These funds are collected by the Ministry of Economy and Finance (MEF) to support civic, cultural, and sports initiatives.

To expand long-term state revenues, the 2025 Budget Law instituted marginal tax increases across all primary gaming verticals, projected to deliver more than 500 million Euros in additional annual revenue:

* Online Sports & Virtual Betting: GGR tax increased from 24.0% to 24.5%. * Online Casino, Poker & Bingo: GGR tax increased from 25.0% to 25.5%. * Retail Sports Betting: GGR tax increased from 20.0% to 20.5%. * Retail Virtual Betting: GGR tax increased from 22.0% to 24.5%.

The online concession regime was completely overhauled in November 2025, with 52 new concessions projected to yield a total income of 365 million Euros. However, data for the first four months of 2026 showed a temporary revenue contraction. Gambling tax receipts totaled 2.52 billion Euros, representing a 7.8% decline compared to the same period in 2025. Regulatory officials attribute this drop to reduced machine gaming returns in land-based venues and a temporary halving of active sports betting concessions during the market transition.

Background

The Meloni government is entering a crucial legislative phase, aiming to enact major gambling reforms before the domestic political landscape shifts toward the 2027 election cycle. Following the online regime launch in November 2025 and the short-term revenue moderation seen through April 2026, Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has set an August 2026 deadline for ministers to deliver both primary legislative packages for inclusion in the upcoming budget. Maurizio Leo, MEF Deputy Minister, is currently negotiating with regional authorities to finalize the Reorganization of Land-Based Gambling Decree. While technical terms for a unified nationwide licensing structure across Italy’s 20 regions have been established, final agreement hinges on financial compensation arrangements for regional governments concerned about lost venue revenue and existing concessions.

Sports Minister Andrea Abodi is finalizing a media and advertising bill designed to repeal and replace the 2018 Dignity Decree, which imposed a blanket ban on gambling marketing. The bill’s timeline was temporarily paused following the election of Giovanni Malagò as President of the Italian Football Federation (FIGC) in June 2026.

“Malagò is advocating for the inclusion of a mandatory 2% levy on football betting turnover. This levy is intended to directly fund Italian sports infrastructure, youth development, and stadium modernization.” - unknown source, unknown function

Why it matters for German players

The developments in Italy illustrate how other European countries are regulating and optimizing their gambling markets. For German players, this means that the gambling market in Germany is subject to strict regulations. The State Treaty on Gambling 2021 (GlüStV 2021) has set clear guidelines. German players can only participate in online casinos that hold a license from the Joint Gambling Authority of the Federal States (GGL). The GGL's whitelist is the only reliable source for legal providers in Germany.

These licensed casinos must comply with stringent requirements. These include a wager limit of 1 Euro per spin on slot machines and a monthly deposit limit of 1,000 Euros. Furthermore, the cross-state gambling supervision system (LUGAS) monitors gaming activities. The goal is to prevent gambling addiction and ensure player protection. The transparency and security offered by German license holders are often not available to the same extent in other jurisdictions like Malta or Curaçao. Players should pay close attention to the valid GGL license.

What it means for GGL-licensed casinos

The measures in Italy, particularly the increase in GGR taxes and the reorganization of concession allocation, signal a trend toward higher taxation and stricter regulation of online gambling in Europe. This could have long-term implications for the business models of GGL-licensed casinos. While strict rules and tax rates already exist in Germany, international developments could lead to further adjustments. Casinos must continuously adapt to new legal frameworks while ensuring their profitability.

The discussion about advertising bans, as in Italy with the “Dignity Decree” and its potential replacement, is also relevant in Germany. The GGL has clear rules for marketing and advertising. A complete ban is currently not in sight in Germany, but the debate shows the societal interest in player protection. For GGL-licensed casinos, this means maintaining a responsible approach to advertising and promotion to secure the trust of players and authorities in the long term.