Esports industry fights Italy’s gambling regulator takeover plan

Industry body IIDEA says Italy has only 70 LAN centres, not the 200 the government’s revenue forecast assumes.

The hit

Italy’s 2027 budget bill would place esports LAN gaming halls under gambling regulator ADM’s licensing & tax regime, according to GamblingNews. Operators would need ADM authorisation every two years, pay fees per device, venue, game & platform, & face an 8% entertainment tax. The bill also bans all betting on LAN hall premises.

Why it matters

For bettors the direct impact is limited since wagering would be barred outright on these premises. The bigger story is regulatory reach: Italy’s gambling body would set tournament rules, prizes & entry fees for an industry that isn’t gambling, & would require at least five years of user activity logs. IIDEA has questioned whether this is compatible with EU data protection requirements.

The record

Per-device fee	€200 ($224) every two years, per budget bill
Per-venue fee	€1,000 ($1,120) every two years, per budget bill
Per-online-platform fee	€10,000 ($11,200) every two years, per budget bill
Projected government tax take	More than €66m ($74m) in tax revenue & fees, per technical report forecasting 200 centres by 2027 & 2,300 by 2028
IIDEA’s count of existing LAN centres	~70
Italian esports sector value	€32m ($35.9m) in 2026, per IIDEA

What happens next

The bill is in early parliamentary examination. IIDEA wants the provision scrapped & says any changes must use realistic data & industry input.

Sources: Italy Plans to Place Video Game Venues Under Gambling Regulator Supervision

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