The regulated gambling industry plays a key role not only from an economic perspective but also for its social and regulatory implications, as it represents a significant component of the national economy: in 2024, net expenditure reached €21 billion, while tax revenues exceeded €11 billion. While regulated gambling ensures a substantial contribution to public finances, as well as transparency and safety for players, illegal gambling, on the contrary, deprives the State and licensed operators of significant resources. It also poses a serious threat to consumer protection and to the overall balance of the market.
The value of illegal gambling is estimated at between €20 and €25 billion in wagers annually, equivalent to over €3 billion in net expenditure and around €2 billion in lost tax revenues. This was the scenario presented during the event “Legal Market and Public Gaming: The Role of the Industry,” organized in Rome by AGIC Confindustria (the Association for Licensed Gaming and Entertainment). The event featured the results of a study conducted by Luiss Business School, which examined the gambling habits and preferences of players in Italy, with a particular focus on the motivations driving consumers toward illegal channels. According to the research, 14% of players who access illegal channels do so unknowingly, due to the difficulty of distinguishing between licensed and unlicensed operators. Uninformed players tend to resort to unauthorized channels more frequently: over 26% declare that they have gambled illegally, a share more than three times higher than that recorded among other players.
The reasons why players turn to illegal channels vary: the perception of easier-to-use platforms, faster payments, and the belief that illegal gambling allows for higher winnings. Other factors are linked to the gaming experience itself, such as more appealing graphics and a wider and higher-quality range of games. This scenario underscores the need to define effective counter-strategies, which must rely not only on monitoring and enforcement, but also on information and awareness campaigns, aimed both at strengthening the regulated sector and at simultaneously undermining the illegal one. “Combating illegal gambling requires a systemic approach and strong collaboration among all stakeholders in our industry. In this respect, the process already initiated with the Ministry of Economy and Finance for the reorganization of the land-based sector represents a fundamental opportunity to equip concessionaires with the necessary tools to remain competitive while simultaneously countering illegal channels,” said Giuliano Guinci, Public Affairs, Sustainability & Retail Operations Director at Eurobet Italia and member of the AGIC Board. He added: “It is essential to recognize the right of licensed operators to communicate with transparency and responsibility: restricting this ability entirely, as is currently the case, risks creating opacity, with negative consequences both socially and economically.”
“Only by restoring the conditions for the sector to distinguish and enhance itself will it be possible to build a safer and more sustainable market, clearly differentiating the legal from the illegal,” he concluded. The event also featured a roundtable on the fight against illegality, with contributions from representatives of the audiovisual sector, including Federico Bagnoli Rossi, President of FAPAV, and Stefano Selli, Vice President of Confindustria Radio Televisioni. This was followed by discussions on the role of the Committee for the Prevention and Repression of Illegal Gambling and the protection of minors, as well as contributions from the Guardia di Finanza on enforcement activities in the gaming sector. The meeting concluded with remarks from Nicola Calandrini, Chair of the Senate Committee on Economic Planning and Budget; Dario Damiani, member of the same Committee; Virginio Merola, member of the Chamber of Deputies Finance Committee; Ettore Rosato, Secretary of COPASIR and member of the Chamber of Deputies Defense Committee; and Mario Lollobrigida, Director of Gaming at the Customs and Monopolies Agency.
“We are not operating within a perfectly sealed perimeter. The external variable is the aggressiveness of the illegal market, driven by technological evolution, which is increasingly penetrating the legal market.”
This was underlined by Gennaro Schettino, president of AGIC, during the I-Com conference.
Yesterday morning, at the Hotel Nazionale in Piazza Montecitorio, the event “Legal Market and Public Gaming: The Role of the Industry”
Legal gambling generates around €12 billion per year in tax revenues. In 2024, net expenditure amounted to €21 billion.
