Italy

Italy’s Customs and Monopolies Agency (ADM) has confirmed that sports betting concessions will be extended until 31 October.  The decision was authorised following an ‘in-depth assessment’ taken by the Ministry of the Economy to ‘apply a reprieve’ on betting licences that were due to expire at the end of June. Last year, at the peak of Italy’s COVID-19 outbreak, the …

Sisal, the operating firm of Italy’s SuperEnlatto lottery draw, has launched its founding ‘Innovation Lab’ hosted at Turin’s prestigious ‘Agnelli Foundation’ academic centre.  The Lab forms part of Sisal’s wider ‘economic and investment charter’, in which the company seeks to train Italy’s emerging workforce in the future technology fields of artificial intelligence, digital transformation and the engineering of advanced technology …

The European Gaming & Betting Association (EGBA) has issued a notification to the European Commission demanding that Italian authorities explain why they have published a draft law proposal seeking to reduce the number of online gambling licences by two-thirds. A reduction of online gambling licences had been initially proposed by the former 5Star-DP coalition government, as a draft measure attached to …

Italy’s bookmakers and gambling venues have begun to reopen their businesses following more than a year observing the government’s strict lockdown orders enforced across all regions. Approved by Italian Health Minister, Roberto Speranza, from 31 May, 2000 gambling venues (bookmakers, arcades and bingo halls) were allowed to reopen across the regions of Friuli Venezia Giulia, Molise, and Sardinia. Further reopening …

Italian giant Sisal SPA surprised the industry with its ‘late bid’ to compete in the UK government’s Fourth National Lottery Competition, which opened for tenders last summer. Speaking to SBC,  Marco Caccavale, Sisal International Managing Director outlines the Italian suitor’s bid against high-profile competitors.  Having won back-to-back tenders to operate Turkey and Morroco’s national lotteries, Caccavale underlines Sisal’s credentials as the …

Five-time Ballon d’Or winner Cristiano Ronaldo is set to join global sports media business LiveScore as the firm’s official global brand ambassador. As part of the deal, the real-time sports updates provider has linked with Juventus star Ronaldo in a partnership that will launch ahead of the upcoming 2020 UEFA European Championships this summer. Central to the partnership will be …

A new era for Italian gambling has started after Gamenet Group completed its €1.1 billion buyout of IGT Plc’s Lottomatica B2C subsidiaries.  This morning, Gamenet and IGT disclosed that all final arrangements had been concluded in the sale of Lottomatica’s Scommesse (sports betting) and Videolot Rete gaming machine units. Finalising its acquisition, Gamenet has confirmed that it will now operate …

Betfair has won its Italian ‘tax reform’ appeal made against Italy’s ADM customs and monopolies agency with regards to how a temporary 0.5% wagering tax should be applied to its Exchange platform. This week, Rome’s TAR commercial disputes court ruled in favour of Betfair’s appeal that a 0.5% tax charge should not be enforced on Betfair’s Exchange activities as a …