Italian authorities recently conducted a significant operation against illegal gambling, resulting in the closure of two unauthorized betting collection centers in Agrigento and fines totaling over €20,000 ($22,796). This coordinated effort, unveiled on Friday, was executed by the customs and gambling regulator, ADM, in partnership with the Guardia di Finanza (GdF).
As part of this operation, inspectors from ADM's Sicily 6 office in Porto Empedocle and local GdF units inspected 14 betting shops and gaming halls across various locations, including Agrigento, Favara, Raffadali, Palma di Montechiaro, Campobello di Licata, Ribera, and the Pelagie Islands.
During the checks, officials discovered two unlicensed betting centers. At one site in Porto Empedocle, two computer terminals were seized that had no connection to the national gaming collection network and lacked the required identification codes. This disconnection meant the machines could potentially bypass mandated record-keeping for stakes and plays, allowing for evasion of the single national gaming levy (PREU) that applies to registered gaming device turnover.
The seizure has led to criminal referrals, with the business owner associated with the confiscated terminals now reported to the public prosecutor in Agrigento for suspected illegal betting activities.
In addition to issues surrounding unauthorized operations, a new bill introduced in the Italian Senate earlier in the month proposes a 2% levy on all domestic football bets aimed at funding Italy’s football system. This levy would apply to all bets placed on matches organized by the Italian Football Federation and its associated leagues, affecting both physical and online betting venues.
This crackdown occurs amidst a regulatory deadlock within Italy's gambling market. At a Senate hearing last month, EGP-FIPE, the group representing operators within the Italian Federation of Public Establishments, highlighted that the legal gambling market's growth has stagnated due to ongoing extensions of national gambling concessions.
EGP-FIPE stated that without a cohesive national reform framework, the sector has become "frozen," hampering effective network planning and diminishing protective measures for at-risk gamblers. Emmanuele Cangianelli, president of EGP-FIPE, noted that strict restrictions on physical betting do not reduce gambling issues but instead drive players online or into the underground market where oversight is virtually non-existent. This dynamic undermines territorial tools designed to promote legality and the sustainability of authorized networks.
The ADM and the Guardia di Finanza emphasized that their investigation is still active and that they would continue to prioritize enforcement efforts aimed at protecting consumers — particularly minors and vulnerable populations — while seeking to reduce criminal influences in the gaming sector. Authorities reiterated the principle of presumption of innocence for individuals under investigation until proven guilty in a court of law.
