SS Lazio, an Italian football club competing in Serie A, has ended its sponsorship agreement with prediction market platform Polymarket earlier than anticipated. The club, based in Rome, announced on Tuesday that both parties reached a mutual decision to terminate the sponsorship in a spirit of cooperation.
This move comes as a result of new regulatory provisions from authorities that have affected the existing framework. Polymarket was flagged by Italy's Customs and Monopolies Agency (ADM) on July 10 as a prohibited site, leading to its inaccessibility for Italian users as of July 27.
Italy has imposed a ban on gambling-related sponsorships and advertising since 2018. This puts Italy alongside several other European nations, including Spain, Czechia, and France, which have similarly blocked access to Polymarket over concerns that it does not comply with gambling regulations. Regulatory bodies have cited the need for consumer protection and the prevention of unauthorized gambling activities as critical reasons for these restrictions. Furthermore, Italy is participating in a coalition of nine regulators focused on cracking down on prediction market platforms since June.
Originally cemented in April, the sponsorship agreement designated Polymarket as Lazio's official sponsor and ‘Fan Intelligence & Digital Insight Partner.’ The deal was valued at over $22 million, with potential bonuses tied to performance and activation. According to the settlement arrangement, Polymarket is still obligated to fulfill the financial terms of the agreement for the upcoming 2026/27 season.
Both Lazio and Polymarket expressed an interest in keeping lines of communication open, suggesting a possibility of revisiting a partnership in the future should regulatory conditions shift to become more favorable.
The Italian Football Federation (FIGC) has urged the government to reevaluate the stringent advertising restrictions affecting betting operators that have been in place since 2018 under the “Decreto Dignità.” This ban has adversely impacted sponsorship revenues for clubs, putting Italian football at a disadvantage compared to other leading European leagues.
