Italy investigates 15 people over manipulated slot machines and alleged bribery of ADM official
Italian authorities seized 145 slot machines and €80,000 in cash in raids in Cosenza province. Fifteen people are under investigation over machines allegedly rigged to evade the national wagering levy, and an ADM official is also being probed for corruption.
GamblingSource: SBC News
Italian authorities have placed 15 people under investigation over an alleged fraud involving manipulated slot machines. The gambling office of the Customs and Monopolies Agency (ADM), working with the Carabinieri police force, said raids are being carried out at several addresses in the Cosenza province.
Investigators seized 145 slot machines and €80,000 in cash. Of the 15 people said to have taken part to some degree, two are under house arrest and six face non-custody proceedings. Seven others have been barred from conducting or taking part in gambling for one year.
According to the authorities, the machines were fitted with an illegal electronic card that recorded wagers without linking to the state register. This allegedly allowed the operators to sidestep the Prelievo Erariale Unico, the national levy that taxes wagers placed on slot machines.
A separate probe has been opened into possible bribery involving an ADM official based in Cosenza. Authorities say the suspect allegedly received payments in return for information about planned site inspections, including dates and times. He is also accused of using his access to an ADM warehouse to take sealed boxes of confiscated electronic cards, which were then passed to the organised crime group.
The suspects could face charges including tax evasion, participation in a criminal organisation, corruption, breach of state secrets and defrauding the state, among others.
The latest developments follow a case first made public in November 2025, when the ADM seized more than €12m in cash and assets. The raids come during an overhaul of Italy's gambling regulation. A new framework for online betting and casino operations was launched in November 2025, although the regulatory terms for retail gaming remain unsettled. The sector continues to generate substantial public revenue, with the Ministry of Economy and Finance expecting more than €1bn from the industry between 2027 and 2028.
Based on reporting by SBC News.