Online gaming: the new licensing regime begins today.

Today, Thursday, November 13, 2025, the new remote gaming licensing regime in Italy officially begins, marking a key milestone in the reorganization of the public online gaming sector envisaged by Legislative Decree No. 41/2024.

At midnight, the previous licenses expired and new ones, issued by the Customs and Monopolies Agency (ADM), became effective. The aim is to strengthen transparency, security, and player protection.

The new regime – A total of 52 concession titles to 46 operators, of which 33 Italians and 13 foreigners. This result exceeds the threshold of 50 concessions foreseen by the technical report attached to Legislative Decree 41/2024, generating an increase in tax revenue. The tender generated €364 million in direct revenue from concession fees alone. Specifically, the additional revenue amounted to €14 million, resulting from an extraordinary contribution of €7 million for each of the two concessions exceeding the established limit.

Numbers that matter – The online gaming sector now plays a central role in the Italian public gaming market. In 2024, 1,000 bets were played online. a total volume of approximately 92,1 billion euros, compared to €87 billion returned in winnings. Actual spending—that is, the difference between stakes and winnings—was approximately €5,1 billion (€5.072.360.538,58). The growth of the entire online sector can be explained almost entirely (95%) by three types of gaming: online slots, card games organized in non-tournament formats, and sports-based games. These numbers confirm the importance of the digital sector for the sector's economy, making the launch of the new licensing regime aimed at ensuring sustainability, legality, and innovation even more significant.

Game accounts – In this context, the'ADM has issued a directorial decision This law introduces important innovations regarding the opening of online gaming accounts, implementing Legislative Decree No. 41 of March 25, 2024, and Tax Delegated Law No. 111/2023. The measure establishes that from now on, opening a gaming account can be done not only by submitting identity documents, but also through digital identification tools with at least level two security, such as SPID (Italian Public Identity System) and Electronic Identity Card (CIE).

Authorized dealers will therefore be able to identify new users either through the traditional acquisition of a copy of their ID and tax code, or through SPID or CIE, in full compliance with the principles of the Digital Administration Code (Legislative Decree 82/2005). This innovation represents a significant step towards simplifying registration procedures while also increasing the certainty of player identity. When using digital identity, dealers will be required to collect a minimum set of information—including personal details, residence, tax code, ID details, contact details, and the digital identity's expiration date—while always ensuring full compliance with personal data protection regulations and the provisions of the concession agreement.

Skin – Another significant novelty concerns the sunset of the so-called "skins" system, i.e., sites linked to the licensees' main domains. In a circular sent to operators, the ADM has established that starting today, November 13, 2025, each licensee will only be able to collect bets through a single official website. All secondary or affiliated domains must be deactivated, with the removal of content and redirects, and their inaccessibility must also be verified through network providers (ISPs). A temporary exemption is provided only for Temporary Business Groupings (RTI), which will be able to maintain redirects until December 31, 2025. The Agency emphasizes that compliance with this provision will be subject to strict controls, and any violations may result in penalties up to and including the revocation of the license. This measure, while expected, is sparking debate in the industry due to its potential employment implications, given that many operators employ staff dedicated to the management, marketing, and support of the various brands now slated for closure.

A critical step in the transition involves closing the skins, the sites affiliated with the main concessionaires. The extremely short timeframe for deactivating and migrating domains makes the process technically feasible, but complex from a practical, commercial, and social perspective. Migrating players to the main brand can lead to confusion, overlapping points of sale, loss of control over customer PVRs, and uncertainty in commission management.

Behind every PVR and every skin are consolidated networks and trained personnel, and without clear rules, the risk is commercial disruption that penalizes both retailers and players. More gradual management, with tools to safeguard networks and player accounts, could have reduced these risks, ensuring operational continuity and protecting the legal market.

PVRA key issue in the transition concerns Recharge Points of Sale (PVR) and the difficulties associated with payments and registration. Currently, the obligation to register and pay the annual fee remain suspended, pending a court decision. The next step is the hearing on the merits before the Council of State, scheduled for December 11, 2025, when the legitimacy of the register and its implementation procedures will be examined. Until then, PVRs must proceed with caution, preparing for possible scenarios and adjustments to ensure operational continuity and compliance.

Affiliation Affiliate sites will continue to operate, but with stricter rules and greater control. They will be required to interface exclusively with the licensee's official domain and comply with the standards established by the ADM for player and commission traceability.

The transition to the new regime – Over the next six months, the transition to the new licensing regime for online gaming in Italy will follow a clear sequence of steps:

1. Termination of existing concessions (November 13, 2025) – All old remote gaming licences will cease to be valid, and operators must stop collecting bets on platforms that do not comply with the new scheme.
2. Activation of new dealers – The 46 operators awarded the 52 concessions will begin operating through their single official website, ensuring continuity of services and compliance with the new technical and regulatory rules.
3. Technical and regulatory adaptation – Licensees must update their platforms to ensure the correct opening of gaming accounts, digital identification of users via SPID or CIE, traceability of bets, and compliance with personal data protection regulations.
4. Account migration and skin closure – Users of previous operators must be transferred to the new gaming account holders, while all secondary sites ("skins") must be deactivated, with content removed and verification of inaccessibility, including via network providers, except for some temporary exemptions for temporary consortiums (RTI) until December 31, 2025.
5. ADM Verification and Controls The Customs and Monopolies Agency will conduct ongoing checks to ensure compliance with the new regime; any violations may result in severe penalties, including suspension of collection or revocation of the concession.

This gradual process ensures that the online gaming market transitions to the new regime in an orderly, safe, and transparent manner, safeguarding both operators and players.

Below is a list of the new dealers who, starting today, will be the only ones authorized to offer online gaming in Italy.

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