Italy opens applications for 120 online gaming licences

Italian gaming regulators have opened the door to applications from operators for a further 120 online betting licenses in the country.

The 120 licenses are likely to be awarded on a first-come-first-serve basis, although at least 40 will be awarded to operators already operating in the market or to those with expired licenses.

All verticals will fall under an umbrella license which covers sports betting, casino, poker, DFS, bingo and exchange betting, but further technical approval will needed for each specific game.

Operators must file applications by 19 March 2018. Once filed, there is usually a three to five month waiting period before the award of the license, which will remain valid until December 2022.

Any operator can apply for an Italian online gaming license, but those that do not already hold a European license with turnover of at least €1.5m during the last two years must post an additional €1.5m bank guarantee.

Italian regulators expect new licenses to generate revenues of €24m, with each license set to cost operators €200k. An influx of new operators, combined with the liberalisation of both sports and horse betting, as well as Italy’s eventual joining of the European poker liquidity agreement could provide a new dawn for gaming in the country, as fewer players bet through unlicensed means.

GVC’s Jay Dossetter told EGR: “We welcome regulation that fosters a commercially viable market with a level playing field for all operators.”