The approval process to gain a gambling license in Italy has been extended to November by the country’s Customs and Monopolies Agency.
Earlier this month, it was revealed 46 operators had applied for licenses in Italy – each coming at a cost of €7 million.
When the new online gambling regime was introduced, the government said it was aiming to reach €350 million in licensing revenue so they need six more applications to hit that target.
It’s no surprise the deadline has been extended as Italy works to bring more operators into the fold – it was previously due to conclude by September 17.
The government agency responsible for gambling regulation in Italy, Agenzia delle Dogane e dei Monopoli (ADM) said the extension will allow staff to carry out full checks of applicants.
Italian Gambling License Cost Shoots From €200k to €7 Million
Previously, if you wanted to run an online casino in Italy, a license would set you back just €200,000 – a figure which has been made 35 times bigger under the new framework.
Alongside the €7 million authorisation fee for each license, a 3% operating fee is also charged. The new regime is aimed at modernising regulations and generating significant revenue for the government.
It’s not easy to acquire a license either, as operators must maintain legal or operational headquarters within the European Economic Area, hold a valid gaming license and prove revenue of €3 million or more over the last 24 months.
The last license procedure took place in 2018 which collected a total of 93 submissions, 81 of which were granted approval to offer gambling services in Italy.
Some of the world’s most popular sports betting apps have applied for a license, most notably Betfair, Snaitech and Sisal – all three owned by Flutter. 888 Italia, Bet365, LeoVegas, Betsson and William Hill are also in the running.
The tax rate for new operators has been amended, now set at 24.5% and 25.5% of gross gaming revenue (GGR) for online betting and casino operators respectively.
Operators are also required to spend at least 0.2% of GGR on responsible gambling campaigns.
Joe Lyons is a betting industry writer for GamblingIndustryNews with years of experience on reputable gambling websites. Joe specialises in long form content in the world of sports betting and gambling. Joe is recognised as an expert in sports fields such as horse racing, soccer, NFL and NBA.
