After Italy failed to qualify for the FIFA World Cup for the third time in a row, the Italian Football Federation’s (FIGC) President Gabriele Gravina resigned on April 2,...
Prime Minister Meloni pushes for gambling reforms in Italy
The Prime Minister of Italy, Giorgia Meloni, has moved the introduction of gambling reforms to the front of the government’s agenda for spring 2026, with the Reorganization Decree about land-based gambling to be presented to the Council of Ministers.
The government is planning to reopen the discussions about the 2018 Dignity Decree, which had imposed a blanket ban on gambling ads and sponsorships, while the Deputy Minister of Economy and Finance, Maurizio Leo, announced that he would present the land-based gambling reforms in the coming 10 days. Additionally, the reforms have already been pre-agreed between the government and the 20 administrative regions of Italy.
The new decree will redesign Italy’s gambling licensing system for physical venues and launch centralized standards for safe gambling and operational rules, with estimates showing €1.5 billion in expected investments. It’s important that the decree be submitted before the August 29, 2026, tax delegation deadline, or else it will not be possible to issue new tenders.
Proceedings into the state of Italian football have also opened on April 8, 2026, after the country failed to qualify for the 2026 FIFA World Cup for the third time, with debates on allocating a part of gambling and sports betting revenue to football and other sports in the country.
Italy is preparing to publish the country’s land-based gambling reform decree on April 10, 2026, moving towards the government’s overhaul of the gambling sector.The...
