Italy's MEF eyes €1bn from gambling sector in Budget 2027 as final measures remain undecided

Italy's Ministry of Finance and Economy (MEF) expects to raise €1bn from gambling companies between 2027 and 2028, according to forecasts tied to the Meloni government's work on the 2027 Budget Law. The figure takes into account ongoing reforms to online gambling licensing, the auditing of licences and new technical standards for the Italian market.

A new licensing regime with an annual fee of €7m came into effect in November 2025. The MEF is expected to apply new auditing measures to it, including a review of how audits affect online gambling accounts. A new auditing structure for online concessions would change how operators account for winnings and withdrawals, and charges for extending existing concessions would rise.

Gambling forms part of a wider revenue programme through which the government aims to secure between €7bn and €8bn, with banks, insurers and energy companies also expected to contribute. Economy Minister Giancarlo Giorgetti has repeated that "everyone who can, will contribute" as the government looks to fund spending commitments under tight public finances.

For the gambling sector, the main uncertainty is which measures will make it into the final budget. The reported proposals span online gambling, withdrawals of winnings and concession arrangements, but no final rates, charges or implementation timetable have been confirmed. They should be treated as options under examination.

One of them concerns the instant-win and scratchcard concession. Parliament has yet to decide whether the Customs and Monopolies Agency (ADM) may launch a tender, which is seen as a funding consideration. The concession is currently run by Lotterie Nazionali, a joint venture of Brightstar Lottery, Scientific Games, Arianna and Allwyn. It is due to expire in 2028, but under the proposal it would be brought forward to 2027, with the MEF and ADM seeking a contract worth about €1bn.

The budget preparations follow parliamentary approval of a €29bn budget deviation over two years for energy and defence spending. The final package will depend partly on talks with the European Commission over budget flexibility, and Giorgetti has warned that "clouds are gathering on the horizon". The budget bill is expected to reach the Chamber of Deputies around 28 October, when stakeholders should learn whether the €1bn contribution will become specific taxes, concession charges or other measures.