Italy’s Customs and Monopolies Agency (ADM) is set to dramatically reshape the country’s online betting landscape, slashing the number of active domains from 407 to just 52 as part of its new regulatory overhaul launching on 13 November.

The reform introduces a streamlined licensing structure that limits each licence holder to a single website. In total, 46 companies will operate under 52 licences, with several groups running multiple brands. Major players such as Flutter Entertainment, which controls Sisal, Snaitech, and Betfair Exchange, remain unaffected, while smaller affiliate-run “skin” sites will be forced to close.

According to ADM, the move targets unauthorised reselling of licensed products through these skin sites, which currently make up more than 350 of the 407 active domains. The new regime will reduce the market to officially licensed operators only. Industry body ASTRO reports that 315 of the existing sites are run by Italian firms, with 92 owned by foreign entities.

Italy, the EU’s fourth-largest gambling market, generates around $21 billion in gross gaming revenue annually. Operators have paid £7 million per licence, with the current licensing phase alone bringing €365 million in state revenue — surpassing the Ministry of Economy’s target of €350 million.

However, the environment has grown increasingly difficult for smaller firms. Marketing restrictions, including a strict ban on sports sponsorships, have heavily favoured dominant brands like Entain, bet365, and Lottomatica. At the SBC Summit Lisbon, Fabio A. Bufalini, Country Director at Stake, admitted that the company is “starting from scratch” in Italy due to the advertising ban, calling it “not easy for a newcomer to operate.”

Despite these challenges, the ADM’s ban on skin websites could level the playing field. New entrants will now compete against just 51 other licence holders rather than hundreds of affiliate-driven sites, potentially giving smaller and mid-tier operators a fairer shot.

The ADM has also unveiled new player protection measures. From 13 November, all bettors must accept updated terms and set their own betting and spending limits before placing wagers. Operators will be required to display a banner directing customers to a form where they declare their deposit and bet limits.

Players who fail to set these within six months will lose access to licensed platforms but can reactivate their accounts within three years.

This mirrors wider European trends. The UK Gambling Commission recently tightened its own deposit limit rules, while regulators in Spain and the Netherlands are also prioritising affordability.

In a statement, the ADM said the reform “marks a turning point for the online gaming market” and aims to “raise safety standards for both operators and players” amid rising public scrutiny.

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