The governance of gambling in Italy has been moved to the front and centre of the Meloni government’s agenda this Spring.
The significance of making changes to Italy’s retail gambling laws – alongside a renewed debate on the repeal of the 2018 Dignity Decree’s blanket ban on gambling advertising and sponsorships – follows a series of ministerial updates that have taken place this week.
Addressing delegates at Italy’s First Anti-Fraud Conference, Deputy Minister of Economy and Finance Maurizio Leo confirmed that he is ready to present the long-awaited Reorganisation Decree on land-based gambling to the Council of Ministers.
Following a slight delay, Leo stated that the decree will be submitted within the “next ten days”, initiating preliminary consideration of reforms that have been agreed between the Meloni government and Italy’s 20 administrative regions.
The project to overhaul Italy’s land-based gambling sector has been ongoing for the last two years, with Leo serving as the principal negotiator between the Ministry of Economy and Finance (MEF) and the Conference of Regions and Autonomous Provinces.
The decree has prioritised a full reset of Italy’s licensing framework for land-based venues, alongside the application of unified federal standards on safer gambling controls and operational rules.
Leo underlined that the retail reforms must be viewed as going beyond fiscal objectives, positioning it as a combined tax, public order and anti-crime measure.
He warned that illegal gambling represents more than lost revenues, acting as a conduit for organised crime and money laundering within the legal economy.
A central component of the decree is the introduction of a regional revenue-sharing model, with ongoing discussions to allocate a proportion of land-based gaming income to local authorities, a move designed to secure alignment between the state and regions, and stabilise the new operating framework for land-based gambling licences.
Leo on the clock…
Though the Meloni government remains on schedule, time appears to be facing increasing pressure when it comes to the delivery and ascension of the Reorganisation Decree into law.
The following procedures are crucial as the decree must be completed by the 29 August tax delegation deadline, or new tenders cannot be issued.
As explained by AgiProNews: “The measure must complete its process by the tax delegation deadline, set for August 29, otherwise it will be impossible to call new tenders, which would lead to further concession extensions.
“After approval by the executive, the bill will be submitted to the Joint Conference and the relevant parliamentary committees to obtain the necessary consensus and opinions.”
Calcio Concerns
Since 8 April, the Senate has opened formal proceedings into the state of Italian football, triggered by the Azzurri’s failure to qualify for the 2026 FIFA World Cup – a third consecutive absence that has intensified political and institutional scrutiny of the sport’s governance and funding model.
Central to discussions is the proposed “right-to-bet” framework, which would see a share of gambling and sports betting revenues redistributed to football and other sports across Italy.
The model is being positioned as a mechanism to reinvest betting proceeds into the ecosystem that underpins it, including stadium redevelopment, youth academies and the growth of women’s sports.
Sports Minister Andrea Abodi backed the principle in the Senate: “In other countries, betting is a factor in promoting competition… Everyone is leaning towards the right to bet, on sharing the proceeds from sports betting as a reward for the organiser of an event.”
He further criticised the current structure. He added: “Clubs organise and invest in better match preparation… and then, despite being the main investors, are excluded from the betting proceeds.”
The minister also linked the proposal to market integrity and the fight against illegal betting, warning: “The main investor is also the entity that certifies the data… it’s clear that this is also a factor in the comparison between legal and illegal.”
The proposal has gained backing from outgoing FIGC President Gabriele Gravina, who stepped down following Italy’s decisive defeat to Bosnia and Herzegovina – a result that confirmed the Azzurri’s exclusion from the 2026 tournament.
Gravina had previously argued that Italian football requires new, sustainable funding channels to remain competitive with its European peers.
At the same time, pressure is mounting on the Meloni government to address the continued enforcement of the 2018 Dignity Decree, introduced by the Lega–Five Star coalition, which imposed a blanket ban on gambling advertising and sponsorships.
Sports and media stakeholders have long argued that the measure has deprived Italian football and broadcasters of up to €1bn in lost commercial revenues, weakening the financial base of the game.
Abodi confirmed that any reform would be subject to further consultation. He said: “Regarding the percentage of this recognition, I am willing to discuss it with Parliament, the Ministry of Economy and Finance, and the Customs and Monopolies Agency.”
He also stressed that player protection would remain central to reforms: “One way to combat [gambling harm] is to work on the traceability of bettors, limit betting, and thus provide support to state concessionaires.”
Like the land-based reorganisation decree, the introduction of a right-to-bet model now faces a tight political and legislative timetable.Abodi must negotiate terms in the coming months with Serie A andthe Olympic Committee of CONI to define how revenues would be allocated and governed.
Pressure mounts on Meloni lieutenants to meet their deadlines, especially on Abodi to secure the repeal of the Dignity Decree. The sensitivities of Italian football’s frail status tops all political agendas in 2026, exacerbated by media and public demand to know how Calcio will be restored to dignity.