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(AsiaGameHub) – In a report released this week, the Italian Football Federation (FIGC) has urged the government to implement a levy on gambling earnings and reevaluate the nation’s stringent betting advertising rules.
The document, drafted by outgoing FIGC president Gabriele Gravina for the Chamber of Deputies’ VII Committee on Culture, Science, and Education, was originally scheduled to be presented at a parliamentary hearing—an event that was eventually called off after Gravina announced his resignation.
Gravina will continue in an interim capacity until the federation’s special elective assembly takes place in June.
Spanning 11 pages, the report outlines the structural challenges facing Italian football. This follows Italy’s failure to secure a spot in the FIFA World Cup for the third tournament in a row.
Gambling Levy for Reinvestment in the Sport
A key proposal in the report is the introduction of a levy on football betting-related gambling turnover or winnings, with the funds to be directly reinvested back into the sport.
Gravina contended that this measure—already in place in multiple European nations—would only require translating an existing EU directive into Italian legislation.
The outgoing FIGC president put forward this levy as a partial fix for the growth and development of Italian football.
Gravina’s report specified that the generated revenues should be earmarked for particular uses, such as youth development programs, stadium infrastructure improvements, and initiatives aimed at tackling problem gambling.
The report frames this initiative as a vital financial foundation, designed to curb the ongoing underfunding of Italian football’s grassroots level and facilities.
This proposal arrives amid major structural shifts in Italy’s gambling market. In November 2025, the country’s market—once boasting over 400 active domains—was condensed to just 52 licenses, each linked to a unique online identity. Italy’s iGaming reform replaces a fragmented landscape with a strictly regulated oligopoly of established, powerful operators.
This move toward an “oligopoly-like” market structure may lead to revenue concentration among a smaller number of operators.
Even so, Italy remains one of Europe’s biggest online gambling markets in terms of turnover and tax revenue. As of November last year, license fees contributed around €364 million ($424 million) to the state.
Restrictions on Betting Advertising
The report also called for a review of the 2018 ban on betting operators’ advertising and sponsorships, which was first introduced via the “Decreto Dignità.”
Gravina criticized the ban as “largely ineffective” at curbing underage and illegal gambling, citing findings from a 2022 Parliamentary Commission of Inquiry report that revealed these areas continued to grow despite the advertising restrictions.
Additionally, the ban has led to a substantial drop in sponsorship revenue for clubs, putting Italian football at a disadvantage relative to other leading European leagues.
Gambling firms still hold a prominent position as club shirt sponsors, accounting for 24% of shirt sponsorships in the 2025-26 season, per a 2026 UEFA report.
This is set to decline, however, as English Premier League clubs have agreed to a voluntary ban on front-of-shirt gambling sponsorships starting from the 2026-27 season. While sleeve sponsorships will still be permitted, the Premier League anticipates an £80 million revenue gap as a result of the ban.
Italy’s Past Efforts
The 2018 comprehensive advertising ban was a response to national worries about gambling addiction and the exposure of minors to gambling promotions.
The report mentioned previous temporary government programs that directed gambling-related revenues into sports initiatives, but pointed out that these were never extended.
The FIGC president stressed that Italian professional football faces ongoing financial pressure, with clubs collectively incurring annual losses of over €730 million and holding around €5.5 billion in debt.
Investments in youth academies and stadium upgrades trail those of other European countries.
If the government approves the levy proposal, Italian football could secure a more stable source of funding.
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