Italy allocates €700M in gambling taxes to 2027–28 budget while addressing regulatory reforms
Budget law forecasts €700M for 2026–27; on-site concessions extended to end-2028.
Key Takeaways
- The Ministry of Economy and Finance estimates €700M in gambling-tax revenue for 2026–2027 under the Budget Law approved on 29 October 2026.
- Combined taxes on gambling, finance and energy fund measures worth €26bn in 2027 and €27bn in 2028.
- The Budget Law does not include a new tender for Gratta e Vinci; an extension of the current concession until September 2028 remains under consideration.
- The November 2025 online-licence regime imposes an annual €7M licence fee and requires separate licences per brand.
- The Agenzia delle Dogane e dei Monopoli (ADM) has been directed to extend existing on-site concessions until the end of 2028 while regional negotiations continue.
The Government of Italy expects to collect €700M in gambling taxes during 2026 and 2027, according to the Budget Law approved by the Council of Ministers on 29 October 2026. The cabinet of Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni submitted the bill to the cabinet and to the European Commission, and the Ministry of Economy and Finance (MEF) set the estimate as part of a broader fiscal-revenue package.
Budget tax details
The Budget Law provides that combined taxes on gambling, finance and energy will help fund measures and tax cuts worth €26bn in 2027 and €27bn in 2028. The MEF places the gambling sector's specific contribution at €700M split across 2026 and 2027; that figure sits between earlier projections of €400M–€500M and estimates of €1bn.
The approved text does not, for now, include a new tender for the instant-lottery product Gratta e Vinci. The Government continues to study options, including an extension with payment of the current concession, which is due to expire in September 2028.
Market reforms and regulatory timetable
The budget coincides with a period of reforms in the Italian gambling market. The online licensing framework introduced in November 2025 brought two key changes: the introduction of an annual licence fee of €7M and the requirement that operators hold separate licences for each brand, rather than authorising multiple brands under a single authorisation. More on that framework is available in the regulation coverage.
On the bricks-and-mortar side, negotiations between the Ministry of Economy and Finance and the Conferenza delle Regioni on a new federal framework to regulate gaming premises remain unresolved. After two years of dialogue, Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni instructed the MEF in August to conclude talks with regional authorities. As a result, the Agenzia delle Dogane e dei Monopoli (ADM) was directed to extend existing on-site concessions until the end of 2028.
Political reaction and European comparison
The executive presents the measure as part of fiscal engineering ahead of the general election of 2027, but it has not taken final decisions on specific concessions such as Gratta e Vinci. The budget package was presented to cabinet by Minister Giancarlo Giorgetti and approved by the Council of Ministers on 29 October 2026.
At the European level, other governments have also turned to the gambling sector for revenue. This week the UK Chancellor of the Exchequer, John Healey, announced a five-point rise in Machine Games Duty to help fund cuts to business rates for hospitality and leisure. In the Netherlands, a prior tax-rate increase led to a fall in gambling receipts in 2025, according to analysts; we reported developments in our [news](/news) coverage.
Impact for operators
The budget positions the gambling sector as a clear contributor to public financing for 2027–2028. For operators, persistent regulatory uncertainties — the confirmation or not of a tender for Gratta e Vinci, the duration of on-site concessions and the cost of online licences of €7M per brand annually — remain key factors in commercial planning. The industry has observed in other jurisdictions that tax increases do not always translate into higher receipts when they affect business viability.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does Italy expect to raise from gambling in 2026 and 2027?
Italy expects to raise €700M in gambling taxes during 2026 and 2027, according to the Ministry of Economy and Finance estimate included in the Budget Law approved on 29 October 2026.
Has the Gratta e Vinci concession already been tendered?
No, the Budget Law does not include a new tender for Gratta e Vinci. The Government is still considering options, including a paid extension of the current concession that expires in September 2028.
What changes did the new online-licence system introduce?
The November 2025 regime requires operators to pay an annual licence fee of €7M and to hold separate licences for each brand rather than a single authorisation covering multiple brands.
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About the author
Miguel Sandoval
Regulatory Affairs Correspondent
Miguel Sandoval tracks gambling legislation, licensing, and regulator enforcement — from Spain's DGOJ and the Latin American authorities to the UKGC, the MGA, and the state-by-state map in North America. The reports answer three questions precisely — what changed, where, and who it affects — with jurisdictions, dates, and penalties cited exactly as published. Operators and compliance officers read Miguel Sandoval to know which rulebook moved before their next meeting.
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