Italy is formulating plans that could infuse between €400 million and €500 million into the national budget for 2027 through measures targeting the gambling industry.
Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has tasked the Ministry of Economy and Finance (MEF) with exploring options that would generate this additional revenue. Currently, no specific initiatives have been included in the draft budget bill. The leading proposal on the table is an extension of the concession period for retail gambling, which is expected to yield an annual revenue boost of approximately €200 million to €250 million.
Presently, the fees for gambling concessions include €120 for each amusement-with-prizes machine, €4,000 for every video lottery terminal, and €9,500 for a betting agency license. An extension to these concessions would also afford the government more time to plan for necessary modernization within Italy's gambling sector.
Discussions between the government and the Conference of Regions and Autonomous Provinces have recently taken place but have not resulted in an agreement. The three-year mandate established by the Tax Delegation Law expired on August 29, creating further urgency around this issue. Sources indicate that the lack of new concessions has led to a loss of up to €1.5 billion for the government.
