The planned overhaul of the land-based gambling market in Italy has been delayed after Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni rejected the final version of the country’s retail gambling reorganisation decree. The decision followed a two-year dispute between the Ministry of Economy and Finance (MEF) and the Conference of Regions and Autonomous Provinces over how national rules and regional gambling rules should interact.
Meloni’s office returned the Decreto di Riordino del Gioco Fisico for further consideration, leaving the proposed framework unresolved and creating fresh uncertainty for the sector’s next concession process. The decision also leaves operators waiting for greater clarity on the regulatory conditions that could govern future retail gambling operations across Italy.
Distance Rules Remain Central To Dispute
Alfredo Mantovano, Meloni’s Undersecretary, confirmed that regional minimum-distance requirements will remain in place. These provisions restrict gambling venues from operating close to schools and other locations classified as sensitive.
The issue has become one of the main obstacles to agreement between the national government and regional authorities. The reform sought to establish shared requirements covering venue distances, operating hours, certification and concessions. Regional governments, however, have opposed changes that could reduce their authority over gambling regulation and have continued to regard the sector through a public health lens.
The disagreement reflects a wider constitutional tension within Italy, where national policy initiatives can face resistance when they affect powers exercised by regional administrations. The two sides have spent two years attempting to find common ground on rules that would apply across the retail gambling sector.
Concession Plans Face Renewed Uncertainty
The stalled decree also complicates plans for new retail gambling concessions. Authorities had been preparing tenders covering betting shops, slot venues and bingo halls, although previous concession processes encountered difficulties because casino operators struggled to identify locations that complied with existing distance restrictions.
The proposed auctions were expected to bring between €1.8 billion and €2 billion in upfront revenue. The wider reform was also intended to establish a consistent national framework covering sensitive locations, operating hours, operator registers, advertising provisions and technical requirements for new gaming machines.
Without an agreement on minimum-distance rules, determining which venues could qualify for new concessions remains difficult. That uncertainty could affect the timetable and practical design of future tenders, while also complicating planning for operators considering participation in the new programme.
Existing Concessions Continue Into 2026
Current concessions will remain valid until 31 December 2026. Analysts expect the government could extend them again for another one or two years if the reform process remains unresolved.
The prolonged concession cycle has already attracted criticism from AGIC, whose membership includes Flutter Entertainment, Lottomatica, Entain, bet365 and Brightstar. The organisation has warned that almost a decade of extensions has weakened incentives for investment and contributed to delays in modernising Italy’s land-based gambling market.
The latest rejection therefore leaves the government facing a further period of uncertainty. Any attempt to proceed with a new concessions programme will need to address the regional distance restrictions that have remained at the centre of negotiations.
Source:
“Giorgia Meloni Rejects Final Terms of Italy’s Retail Gambling Reorganisation Decree”, hipther.com, August 4, 2026
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