The short answer: gambling is legal in Italy, but only in forms the state authorises. Gaming in Italy is a state reserve (gioco pubblico). Lotteries, sports betting, slot machines, land-based casinos and online casinos all need a state concession and are supervised by the Customs and Monopolies Agency (ADM). Any website without an ADM licence is illegal and gets blocked.
If you hold a PRC passport and plan to work, study or settle in Italy, keep two more things in mind. What Italian law allows, Chinese law does not necessarily allow. Italy is also stricter than many countries on minors, advertising and opening online accounts. This guide sets out the rules as of October 2026: legality, the regulator, the 2025 online licensing reform, tax on winnings, the advertising ban and where to get help.
Is gambling legal in Italy? By type
Italy has no simple “all banned” or “all open” answer. One test decides everything: is the activity inside the state concession system? The table sums up the main forms as of October 2026.
| Type | Legal status | Key points |
|---|---|---|
| Lotteries (Lotto, SuperEnalotto, scratch cards) | Legal, state reserve | Sold at authorised outlets such as tobacconists and bars, or on licensed websites |
| Sports and horse-race betting | Legal with a concession | Only through ADM-licensed betting shops or websites |
| Slot machines (AWP, VLT) | Legal with a concession | In authorised venues only; minors are not admitted |
| Land-based casinos | Legal, very few | Traditionally only four historic casinos: Venice, Sanremo, Saint-Vincent and Campione d’Italia |
| Online casino, poker, betting | Legal on licensed sites only | New concessions apply from 13 November 2025; unlicensed sites are illegal and blocked |
| Private or underground gambling | Illegal | The Italian Criminal Code bans organising unauthorised gambling |
Italy’s gambling regulator: ADM
Gambling in Italy is overseen by the Agenzia delle Dogane e dei Monopoli (ADM, formerly AAMS), which reports to the Ministry of Economy and Finance. ADM grants and supervises concessions, collects gaming taxes, keeps the blacklist of blocked illegal websites and runs the national self-exclusion register. You can check licensed online operators on ADM’s list of concession holders. Advertising rules are enforced by the communications regulator, AGCOM.
If you are comparing European countries, see our guides to gambling laws in Spain and gambling laws in Germany. All three use licensing, but the details differ a lot.
The 2025 online licensing reform (Legislative Decree 41/2024)
Legislative Decree no. 41 of 25 March 2024 (D.Lgs. 41/2024) restructured online gambling. According to trade media, each new concession costs a one-off €7 million (about RMB 52.62 million), runs for nine years and carries an annual fee of 3% of net revenue. Each concession should in principle operate through a single main website, so the old “skin” sites have been scrapped. ADM awarded 52 concessions to 46 operators, and the new system has run since 13 November 2025.
- March 2024Government adopts D.Lgs. 41/2024, setting up the reorganisation of online gambling
- May 2025ADM tender closes, with the fee set at €7 million per concession
- September 2025List of 52 concessions and 46 operators published
- 13 November 2025New concessions take effect and old accounts move to the main sites
- Until around 2034Nine-year concession term
For players, the most visible change is stricter verification at sign-up. Reports say operators must use digital identities such as SPID or the electronic ID card (CIE), with tighter age checks. The detailed rules for online casinos are in our guide to online casino laws in Italy.
Market size: online has overtaken retail
Figures from the Ministry of Economy’s answer in parliament, as reported by Avvenire, put total legal gambling stakes in Italy at €157.4 billion in 2024 (about RMB 1.18 trillion). Online accounted for €92.1 billion of that, close to 60% of the total for the first time. In 2025, gambling brought the treasury about €11.5 billion.
Gambling age in Italy: 18, no exceptions
Under Article 24 of Decree-Law 98/2011, no one under 18 may take part in any public gambling, including scratch cards and online games. Operators who let minors gamble can be fined €5,000 to €20,000 (about RMB 37,600 to 150,300) and ordered to close for up to 30 days. Venues and websites routinely ask for ID. To open an online account you also need an Italian tax code (codice fiscale).
Gambling tax in Italy: do you pay tax on winnings?
Most Italian gaming tax is withheld or paid by the operator, so players usually receive winnings net of tax. The main rules are below (as of October 2026; check the latest ADM and Revenue Agency rules).
| Situation | Tax for the player |
|---|---|
| Scratch cards | 20% on the part above €500 (about RMB 3,758), since March 2020 |
| Lotto | 8% withheld at source |
| Licensed online casino, slots, bingo | No extra tax for the player; the operator pays |
| Winnings at casinos authorised in Italy or the EU/EEA | Not counted as personal income (TUIR art. 69(1-bis), since 2016) |
| Winnings from unlicensed sites or casinos outside the EU | Declared as “other income” and taxed at progressive income tax rates |
If you have become an Italian tax resident, you also need to watch your Chinese tax residency status. See the related articles in Leaving China.
The advertising ban: the “Dignity Decree”
Article 9 of Decree-Law 87/2018 (Decreto Dignità) bans all gambling advertising and sponsorship, including indirect forms, on TV, online and on social media. AGCOM fines offenders 20% of the value of the advertising or sponsorship, in principle at least €50,000 (about RMB 376,000) per violation. In judgment no. 172/2026, filed on 20 October 2026, the Constitutional Court held that applying this minimum without exception is unconstitutional: the ban itself stays in force, but the fine may now go below €50,000 where the minimum would be manifestly disproportionate (for example, occasional posts by private individuals). So if you see a “free bonus” promotion in Italy, that alone suggests something may be wrong.
What Chinese citizens should know: legal abroad does not mean risk-free in China
Article 303 of the PRC Criminal Law covers the offences of gambling and of operating a gambling house. Since Amendment XI took effect on 1 March 2021, it also includes the offence of organising PRC citizens to take part in gambling abroad, which targets people who organise Chinese citizens to gamble outside China or recruit them to do so. These provisions mainly target organisers, operators and recruiters. Never act as a recruiter, agent or payment channel for any offshore gambling platform. This page explains regulation only and is not legal advice. See our disclaimer.
To find out where the land-based casinos are and what their entry rules are, read casinos in Italy. For an overview of life and visas in Italy, go back to the Italy hub.
Responsible gambling and help
ADM runs a single national self-exclusion register, which lets you exclude yourself from every licensed site in one step. If you or a family member has a gambling problem, call the national gambling helpline on 800 55 88 22. It is free and run by the National Institute of Health (ISS), whose specialists give advice and refer callers to local services.
Only open accounts on sites on the ADM list, and set a deposit limit first. If a “platform” asks you to pay by private transfer or top up with cryptocurrency, stop at once.
FAQ
Is gambling legal in Italy?
Yes, but only through ADM-authorised lotteries, betting, slot machines, land-based casinos and licensed websites. Any unlicensed operation is illegal.
Can tourists or newly arrived Chinese residents open an online casino account?
On licensed sites you must be 18 or over and provide ID and an Italian tax code. Each operator applies the detailed verification under ADM rules.
Do I pay tax on winnings in Italy?
In most cases the operator withholds the tax, or the player owes nothing extra. Winnings from unlicensed sites or casinos outside the EU must be declared.
If I gamble legally in Italy, will it cause problems back in China?
Chinese law focuses on people who organise or run gambling and those who recruit others to gamble. For your own situation, consult a Chinese lawyer and see this site’s disclaimer.
Sources
Exchange rate: €1 ≈ RMB 7.5165 (CFETS central parity, 14 October 2026, via Xinhua).
- Gazzetta Ufficiale – Decreto legislativo 25 marzo 2024, n. 41 (riordino del gioco a distanza) (accessed October 2026)
- ADM – Gioco a distanza: elenco concessionari (accessed October 2026)
- AGCOM – Delibera n. 318/24/CONS (art. 9 D.L. 87/2018, divieto di pubblicità) (accessed October 2026)
- ISS – Telefono Verde Nazionale per le problematiche legate al Gioco d’Azzardo 800 55 88 22 (accessed October 2026)
- Senato/Parlamento – Dossier DDL sul divieto di gioco ai minori (sanzioni art. 24 D.L. 98/2011) (accessed October 2026)
- Avvenire – Dati MEF sulla raccolta 2023–2024 (online e rete fisica), 16/05/2025 (media) (accessed October 2026)
- Casinos.com – Bilancio ADM 2024: raccolta e spesa (trade media) (accessed October 2026)
- Casinos.com – ADM: 52 concessioni a 46 operatori (trade media) (accessed October 2026)
- SiGMA – Bando ADM gioco online 2025: 7 milioni, durata nove anni (trade media) (accessed October 2026)
- BusinessOnline – Cosa cambia dal 13 novembre 2025 per i siti di gioco (media) (accessed October 2026)
- Milano Finanza – ADM: entrate 2025, 11,5 miliardi dal gioco, 1.038 siti oscurati (media) (accessed October 2026)
- Altroconsumo – Tasse sulle vincite (2025) (consumer organisation) (accessed October 2026)
- InformazioneFiscale – Vincite in case da gioco UE/SEE esenti (art. 69 c.1-bis TUIR) (specialist media) (accessed October 2026)
- Xinhua – RMB central parity rates, 14 Oct 2026 (accessed October 2026)
- Supreme People’s Court – article on the offence of organising participation in gambling abroad (2023) (accessed October 2026)
- Corte costituzionale – Sentenza n. 172/2026 (art. 9, c. 2, D.L. 87/2018; depositata 20/10/2026) (accessed October 2026)
- DLA Piper – Italian online gambling licences (29 Sep 2025; law firm, backup source) (accessed October 2026)
