{"id":873852,"date":"2025-09-18T01:15:28","date_gmt":"2025-09-18T06:15:28","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/2025\/09\/18\/italy-to-build-cybersecurity-shield-to-protect-new-gambling-economy\/"},"modified":"2025-09-18T01:15:28","modified_gmt":"2025-09-18T06:15:28","slug":"italy-to-build-cybersecurity-shield-to-protect-new-gambling-economy","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/2025\/09\/18\/italy-to-build-cybersecurity-shield-to-protect-new-gambling-economy\/","title":{"rendered":"Italy to build \u2018cybersecurity shield\u2019 to protect new gambling economy"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n

Italy is preparing to overhaul its defences against illegal gambling as the Ministry of Economy and Finance (MEF) sets out plans for a national \u201ccybersecurity shield<\/em>\u201d in the forthcoming Budget Law.<\/p>\n

The measure, revealed by Italian gambling news source AgiproNews<\/strong>, will require any business offering public internet access to install anti-illegality software on devices ranging from PCs and kiosks to tablets. Developed jointly by ADM<\/strong> \u2014 Italy\u2019s Customs & Monopolies Agency<\/strong> \u2014 and state-owned tech hub SOGEI,<\/strong> the software will automatically block connections to unauthorised gambling domains.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe software will be made available for download to all operators and relevant authorities, creating a national safeguard against illegal gaming domains,\u201d AgiproNews has reported<\/span>.<\/a><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

ADM to lead multi-stakeholder project\u00a0<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n

ADM will draft the implementing regulations alongside undertaking inspections with the Guardia di Finanza<\/strong> to ensure compliance. Fines will be levied against non-compliant operators, with heavier penalties and potential criminal charges \u2014 if devices are found in \u201cclosed browsing\u201d mode designed to funnel users directly to illegal betting sites.<\/p>\n

The move follows a ruling by Italy\u2019s Constitutional Court which struck down the Balduzzi Decree\u2019s<\/strong><\/em> blanket ban on gaming devices in public venues, arguing the measure was disproportionate and unduly restrictive to business freedoms. Even so, ADM has stressed that so-called \u201ctotems\u201d and closed-circuit devices dedicated exclusively to gambling remain prohibited.<\/p>\n

MEF: New Regime needs better protection\u00a0<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n

The MEF is keen to stress the economic weight behind the reform. Italy\u2019s gambling industry generates an estimated \u20ac21bn in gross income, delivering around \u20ac8bn annually <\/span><\/a>to the state through duties and taxes.<\/p>\n

New online protections are considered critical to securing the government\u2019s updated licensing regime, under which operators must pay \u20ac7m per licence. So far, ADM has approved 46 applications.<\/p>\n

The reforms reflect a market in transition. While Italy remains Europe\u2019s fourth-largest regulated gambling market, MEF officials highlight that online gambling alone is now worth roughly \u20ac1bn per year, with rapid growth accelerating the need for robust digital protections.<\/p>\n

As noted that the new online regime requires operators to adhere to a new compliance charter, mandating that operators promote responsible gambling tools for players to control time and spend and offer in-play warnings on high-risk games.<\/p>\n

Italy is no stranger to Black Market encroachment\u00a0<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n

Yet exposure to the black market remains high. In 2023, the European Gaming and Betting Association<\/strong> (EGBA) estimated that Italy faced around \u20ac1bn in illegal activity, as offshore operators exploited the country\u2019s strict Dignity Decree, which banned advertising and sponsorship. The restrictions have fuelled demand for \u201cquick-deposit\u201d skin sites, many of them hosted abroad.<\/p>\n

The Meloni government has signalled it wants to repeal blanket bans, instead moving towards a modernised framework for marketing and sponsorship. A new mandate is expected to reach parliament later this year, shaped by recommendations from Serie<\/strong> A<\/strong>, Italian media and the Ministry of Sports. Negotiations are ongoing between Sports Minister Andrea Abodi<\/strong> and Serie A president Ezio Simonelli<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

Land-based reorganisation moved to 2026<\/span><\/h3>\n

Despite the urgency, wider structural reform has slipped. The second phase of Italy\u2019s gambling reorganisation has been pushed back to August 2026, a delay blamed on complex negotiations with regional authorities and ADM\u2019s need to complete the Lotto Italia tender, awarded to a consortium of Brightstar, Allwyn and Novomatic<\/a><\/span>
\n<\/strong>
\nKey settlements are required on compensation terms for provinces and municipalities that host gaming outlets, alongside new licensing conditions for franchise networks and an expected revision of land-based gambling taxes. The fiscal and regulatory changes are likely to dominate talks between Rome and regional governments over the coming year.<\/p>\n

2026: Year of technical upgrades for Italian gambling\u00a0<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n

2025 is recognised as year of regulatory revisions and settlements for Italian gambling. Moving into 2026, it will likely be a year of technical adjustments and settlements for both online and land-based incumbents, as the government moves in a new direction that recognises and values the economic contribution of the gambling sector.<\/p>\n

Italy\u2019s policy shift reflects a balancing act: securing billions in state revenues, tightening oversight of a fast-growing digital market, and settling disputes with provinces and franchise operators, while giving Serie A and national media a lifeline after years under the Dignity Decree\u2019s advertising blackout. Whether the \u201ccyber shield\u201d can hold back the black market tide will be the first real test of the MEF\u2019s new regime.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

Ted Menmuir
Read More<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Italy is preparing to overhaul its defences against illegal gambling as the Ministry of Economy and Finance (MEF) sets out plans for a national \u201ccybersecurity shield\u201d in the forthcoming Budget Law. The measure, revealed by Italian gambling news source AgiproNews, will require any business offering public internet access to install anti-illegality software on devices ranging<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":873853,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4503,2379],"tags":[6722,16096],"class_list":{"0":"post-873852","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-build","8":"category-italy","9":"tag-build","10":"tag-italy"},"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/873852","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=873852"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/873852\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/873853"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=873852"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=873852"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=873852"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}