Italian retail gambling concessions expire on 31 December 2026. The land-based reorganisation decree was shelved in August and missed the government’s 29 August deadline, leaving operators scrambling for bridging measures.
Italy land-based reform has stalled: retail concessions for betting, bingo, AWPs and VLTs expire on 31 December 2026, while the reorganisation decree was shelved in August. AGSI is calling for bridging measures covering gaming machines, horse racing and sports betting. Online licences last nine years; retail concessions are extended annually.
- The Ten-Week Holding Pattern
- Italy land-based reform: Two Networks, One Market
- Operators Face the December Cliff
- What AGSI Wants Next
Italian retail gambling concessions expire on 31 December 2026. The decree that would have reorganised the land-based market was shelved in August and missed the government’s 29 August deadline. Betting shops, bingo halls, AWPs and VLTs are running towards an expiry with no renewal in view.
Pasquale Chiacchio, president of AGSI, the association of betting shop managers, told Italian trade outlet Jamma that gaming machines, horse racing and betting cannot wait three years. AGSI is asking the government for bridging measures to keep shops open until new tenders are held.
The Ten-Week Holding Pattern
The gap between Italy’s online and retail networks has widened. Retail still makes up roughly three-quarters of a market worth more than €21 billion, but its reform has not started. Italy’s online channel is already operating under its new concession framework, with further rules taking effect on 13 November.
Quirino Mancini, a co-founder of IMGL, told the SBC Summit panel in Lisbon that he does not expect any government to tackle retail reorganisation in the year before Italy’s next general election. Gambling is a sensitive issue in Italian politics, he said, and that is exactly why reform has stalled.
The technical framework was first raised in the 2016 Stability Law, around ten years ago. Mancini argued the details are largely agreed; the obstacle is political rather than regulatory. For operators, that means the network has been waiting on a decision since 2016.
Operators Face the December Cliff
Online licences run for nine years. Retail concessions are extended year by year. HBG Online CEO Davide Diodato said the difference makes it difficult for shopkeepers to invest or hire.
Chiacchio argues that players and operators are both moving online. Online play is available around the clock with more products and promotions, while shops remain bound by distance rules, opening-hours limits and permit requirements. Commercial investment follows the money, leaving shops with rising costs and falling revenue.
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The tax gap is getting wider. Total gaming tax revenue fell 6.3% to €3.64 billion in the first half of 2026, according to Italy’s Ministry of Economy and Finance. AGSI says a shrinking legal network would simply hand ground to illegal operators, and that enforcement should target the black market rather than pile further restrictions on licensed shops.
What AGSI Wants Next
AGSI wants the transition period used to make shops more attractive. Chiacchio points to the 1998-1999 trial that first brought sports betting into horse racing agencies as a working precedent.
The association also wants a consultation table with the government, institutions and industry to begin drafting tender rules now. Those rules should let small and medium-sized businesses bid alongside larger groups, and should support a more evenly distributed national network with trained staff. Campania’s regional law is cited as the model.
AGIC, whose members include Flutter, Lottomatica, Entain and Bet365, has said repeated extensions have left the retail market without long-term certainty for nearly a decade. AGSI’s argument is blunt: extend the network or enforce it, but do not leave licensed operators exposed to an illegal market in the meantime.
Frequently Asked Questions
When do Italy’s retail gambling concessions expire?
Concessions for betting, bingo, AWPs and VLTs expire on 31 December 2026. Online and retail concessions operate under different rules, with the online channel already running under its new Italy concession framework.
What is the status of the land-based reform decree?
The decree was shelved in August and missed the government’s 29 August deadline. It had to set the terms for new tenders and reorganise the land-based market. Another extension is widely expected.
Why does AGSI want bridging measures?
Betting, bingo, AWPs and VLTs would lose their concessions on 31 December 2026 with no new tenders in view. AGSI is asking for bridging measures covering gaming machines, horse racing Italy and sports betting to keep licensed shops trading in the meantime.
What does Italy land-based reform require?
Reform needs a decree that reorganises the land-based network and sets tender terms. Mancini said the technical framework is largely agreed from the 2016 Stability Law; the obstacle is political, ahead of the next general election.
What bridging measures does AGSI propose?
AGSI wants new products sold through agencies and authorised outlets, a consultation table to draft tender rules now, and access for SMEs alongside larger groups. Campania’s regional law is cited as the model.
Why is Italy’s gaming tax revenue falling?
Total gaming tax revenue fell 6.3% to €3.64 billion in the first half of 2026, according to the Ministry of Economy and Finance. AGSI argues the legal network is shrinking while enforcement should target the black market.
Who is demanding certainty for retail?
AGSI, led by Pasquale Chiacchio, wants bridging measures and new products through agencies. AGIC, whose members include Flutter, Lottomatica, Entain and Bet365, says repeated extensions have removed long-term certainty from the retail market.
This article has been thoroughly researched and reviewed by the CasinoBait editorial team to ensure accuracy and relevance for Asian casino players.
