Italy’s Budget Law pins €700m of tax revenue on gambling for 2026–27

The Italian government expects the gambling sector to deliver €700m in tax revenue across 2026 and 2027 under the Budget Law approved by Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni’s administration. The draft budget, signed off by the Council of Ministers after presentation to the cabinet and the European Commission by Economy and Finance Minister Giancarlo Giorgetti, ties gambling, finance and energy levies to €26bn of measures in 2027 and €27bn in 2028.

How the Budget counts gambling revenue

The Ministry of Economy and Finance (MEF) lists gambling among the revenue lines projected to contribute to the government's fiscal package. The MEF’s forecast of €700m over 2026–2027 sits between earlier public estimates that ranged from €400m–€500m up to €1bn. The Budget Law frames gambling receipts alongside finance and energy taxes as part of resources to help fund the measures and tax reductions planned for 2027 and 2028.

Licensing and market reforms noted in the Budget

The Budget appears while Italy’s online market is completing its first year under a licensing framework introduced in November 2025. Key elements of that reform include a €7m annual licence fee and a requirement that operators hold separate licences for each individual brand rather than cover multiple brands under a single authorisation. These licensing changes remain in effect as the MEF implements the Budget forecasts. The piece links to the ongoing regulatory work on licensing in the country’s public files and regulation updates.

Land-based concessions and the Gratta e Vinci tender

No decision on a new Gratta e Vinci scratch-card concession is included in the approved Budget Law. Ministers continue to consider options, and the government is reportedly evaluating a paid extension of the existing concession, which is scheduled to expire in September 2028. Negotiations over a new federal framework for land-based gambling venues between the MEF and the Conference of Regional Councils remain unresolved after two years of talks.

In August, Meloni instructed the MEF to finalise negotiations with regional authorities. The Agenzia delle Dogane e dei Monopoli (ADM) was then directed to extend current land-based gambling concessions, which are now due to run until the end of 2028.

International context and comparative moves

Other European governments have also targeted gambling for revenue. UK chancellor John Healey announced a five-point increase to Machine Games Duty this week to help fund business-rate reductions for hospitality and leisure. The Netherlands saw a fall in gambling tax receipts in 2025 after its increase in the rate of gambling tax.

"The MEF expects the gambling industry to contribute €700m in tax revenues across 2026 and 2027," the Budget summary states. — Economy and Finance Ministry

What operators are watching

Operators are observing three concrete items in the Budget and surrounding policy work: the stated €700m revenue projection for 2026–2027; the persistence of the €7m annual licence fee and single-brand licence requirement introduced in November 2025; and the extension of land-based concessions through the end of 2028 while a federal framework is finalised. The Budget Law does not open a new Gratta e Vinci tender at this stage.

The government’s timing also reflects political considerations: the measures were approved by Meloni’s Brothers of Italy government ahead of the 2027 general election and were presented to European institutions as part of the standard budgetary process.

For ongoing coverage of regulatory changes and market impact, see related reporting in our news section.