Leaked draft puts Italy’s €700m gambling hit on slots & halls
The government’s own forecast puts 2027 at €718m & nearly €2bn over 3 years.
The hit
Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has confirmed gambling will fund €700m of Italy’s 2027 budget, but a leaked draft shows the burden falling on land-based concessions & gaming machines rather than online operators. Jamma reported the draft on 29 October. Venue operators warn the machine levy rise could make many halls unprofitable.
Why it matters
For bettors & the trade, this means retail machines & licensed halls take the hit while online verticals, including virtual betting & online casino, grew strongly & escape new levies in the quantified measures seen so far. Concessionaires would face higher PREU & VLT rates under the leaked draft.
The record
| Budget approved | 28 October by Italy’s Council of Ministers, worth roughly €26bn |
|---|---|
| PREU levy on AWP slots | Rising from 24% to 25% of stakes, raising an estimated €150m (leaked draft) |
| VLT rate | Rising from 8.6% to 9.6%, worth an estimated €165m (leaked draft) |
| Land-based concessions extended | To 31 December 2029 for about €305m in 2027 (leaked draft) |
| Government’s own gambling forecast | €718m in 2027 & 2028 each, €478m in 2029 (draft budgetary plan) |
| Venues at risk | EGP-FIPE warns at least 20% of specialist gaming halls could become unprofitable |
What happens next
The bill now goes to the Chamber & the Senate, which must examine & approve it by the end of the year.
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