Italy Moves Toward National Rules for Land-Based Gambling
After nearly two years of negotiations with regional and municipal authorities, the Italian government led by Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni is preparing to circulate a draft decree that would introduce uniform national rules for the land-based gambling sector. The proposal is expected to cover slot machines in bars and tobacconists, dedicated gaming halls, bingo venues and VLT locations.
The draft is being developed within the framework of Italy’s fiscal-delegation reform and will first be reviewed by the Council of Ministers. It will then move through the State–Regions Conference before being examined by parliamentary committees.
While Italy has already completed reform of its online gambling framework approved in 2024 the retail sector has proven far more politically sensitive. Brick-and-mortar gambling remains entangled with public health concerns, local zoning powers and fears among municipalities of losing tax revenues.
Toward a national framework for a fragmented market
For years, Italy’s retail gambling regulation has been shaped by a patchwork of regional and local rules. Distance requirements and venue restrictions vary widely, often leaving operators compliant in one municipality but excluded in another.
According to Italian media following the talks, the Ministry of Economy and Finance’s draft aims to standardize these rules through a two-tier system linked to venue certification. Certified venues would be subject to shorter distance buffers, while non-certified locations would face wider exclusion zones and stricter limits.
The list of “sensitive locations” under discussion is reportedly narrow, focusing mainly on schools and healthcare facilities that treat gambling addiction. The proposal also includes mandatory daily shutdown periods, with longer closures applied to venues that fail to meet certification standards.
Certification at the core of the reform
One of the central ideas still under negotiation would see ADM overseeing a formal certification regime for land-based venues. Operators meeting enhanced player-protection requirements would be granted greater operational flexibility, while those that do not would face tighter constraints.
The approach is designed to reduce the number of machines over time without imposing a blanket ban, effectively rewarding compliance while squeezing non-certified venues.
Political hurdles remain
Despite Rome’s push for a single national rulebook, regions continue to seek room to safeguard local autonomy and revenue streams. That tension has been a major factor behind the prolonged negotiations.
Procedurally, the roadmap is clear: approval by the Council of Ministers, consultation with the State–Regions Conference and review by parliamentary committees. However, no official timeline for implementation has yet been set.
If adopted, the decree would finally establish a national baseline for Italy’s land-based gambling sector, reducing legal uncertainty and strengthening safeguards. The real challenge, however, may lie less in drafting the rules and more in managing the economic impact of a smaller, more tightly regulated retail network.
