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Italy Hikes Up Online Gambling License Fee by 35 Times

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Xenia Luch

05 January 2024

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On January 2, the Italian government approved a major overhaul of the online gambling legislation, the ‘Reorganisation Decree’, proposed by the Ministry of the Economy and Finance (MEF). This marks the first significant change in the iGaming sector since 2011 (when it was introduced). The new rules are expected to take effect by 2024.

One of the main changes is a 35-fold increase in the license fee for gambling operators, going from 200,000 euros, in place since 2018 ($219,000), to 7 million euros ($7.67 million).

The operators will also have to pay an operational fee of 3% and an annual 0.2% of net revenue. A single company can get up to 5 licenses.

The government’s decision came after The European Gaming and Betting Association (EGBA) expressed serious concerns about the huge hike in iGaming license fees. The gambling industry fears that this could drive most of the legal operators out of the country, and create more room for the black market of gambling in Italy.

However, the government hopes that “at least 50” of the 83 existing operators in the country will accept the new terms.

The government’s main goals for the reform are to increase the budget revenue, protect the players, and fight crime in gambling.