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Italy’s gambling sector closed 2024 with record volume and a market that looks very different from the one that existed before the pandemic.
Behind the headline figure of €157.4 billion in legal wagers sits a deeper story about changing behaviour, shifting channels, and an industry trying to balance growth with responsibility. Actual player spend reached €21.5 billion, confirming a market that is both powerful and in transition.
Online takes the lead
Digital growth is now steering the direction of Italy’s regulated market.
The latest CGIA di Mestre Report, presented in Rome in October, shows how quickly online play has surged. Between 2019 and 2024, online gambling grew 153%, reaching €92 billion in turnover last year. Players took back €87 billion in winnings, leaving €5 billion in actual spend, split between taxes and industry margins.
Massimiliano Pucci, President of As.Tro, said this shift reflects a deep change in habits as players increasingly choose remote play. He stressed the need for thoughtful reform to protect the legal network and ensure stability. For operators, this digital momentum brings scale. For regulators, it brings urgency.
What players are choosing
A few verticals are shaping almost all online growth.
From 2019 to 2024, three categories accounted for 95% of online expansion:
- Casino games led with 53%
- Card games followed with 28%
- Sports betting grew by 14%
After slowing in 2022, the digital channel quickly regained pace, rising 13% in 2023 and 16% in 2024. Technology upgrades, better interfaces, and stronger protections have kept players engaged even after land-based venues reopened.
A year of major regulatory changes
2024 marked a turning point for operator licensing and oversight.
The updated rules under Legislative Decree No. 41/2024 reshaped the remote gaming framework. The Customs and Monopolies Agency issued 52 licences to 46 operators, surpassing expectations and generating €364 million in revenue. Each operator may now manage only one domain, a rule designed to reduce fragmentation and improve supervision.
By 2026, new standards for online top-up points will further tighten transparency and traceability. The goal is a more rational, more controlled digital market.
Retail continues to shrink
While digital grows, land-based gambling is fighting to stay relevant.
Slot machines and video lottery terminals remain the hardest hit. Between 2019 and 2024, retail machine revenue fell 30%, dropping by almost €14 billion. In 2024, machine turnover reached €32.6 billion, still below pre-COVID levels.
The physical network is thinning. Italy has 16,000 fewer machines and 8,400 fewer venues compared with 2019. Bars, tobacconists, restaurants, and small shops have been affected the most, while larger halls are consolidating. Employment has felt the impact, with 10,000 jobs lost in five years.
A sector that still fuels public finances
Even with declining retail activity, gambling remains a major contributor to the Treasury.
The Single Gaming Tax generated €5.2 billion in 2024. Additional taxes and social contributions brought the total fiscal impact to around €6 billion. Although lower than previous years, this remains a vital revenue source for the state.
The call for a new balance
Italy’s gambling industry is standing at a crossroads.
The report argues that Italy must find a long-term balance between the fast-growing digital market and the shrinking physical one. Operators will need to focus on transparency and responsible practice, while policymakers must protect jobs, shore up tax revenues, and guard the legal market against illegal competition.
Pucci summarised the challenge, noting that strong legal gaming protects jobs, tax stability, and citizens. The numbers support his point.
As Italy steps into this next phase, one question rises above the rest: can policymakers and operators build a balanced system that supports innovation without leaving entire parts of the industry behind?
Source: SIGMA
