Italy’s online gambling industry has entered one of the biggest regulatory transformations in Europe. Under the country’s new licensing framework introduced by the Agenzia delle Dogane e dei Monopoli (ADM), operators are no longer allowed to run multiple casino “skins” or domains under a single license. Instead, each license covers a single website domain.

The change may sound administrative at first glance, but it is already reshaping how players choose online casinos, how brands compete and how operators approach customer acquisition in Italy’s regulated iGaming market. It is even changing how promotional offers, such as no deposit casino bonuses in Italy, are distributed. This is because operators now have fewer branded platforms through which they can target different player segments. 

Italy is one of Europe’s largest gambling markets. According to Reuters, the country had gross gaming revenues (the difference between the amount wagered and amount won) hitting 21.5 billion euros in 2024. The growth of the country’s gambling sectors has already surpassed Germany, France and Britain. Additionally. The online segment recorded €77.85 billion in stakes and €3.33 billion in player spending during 2025. Against that backdrop, Italy’s “one site per licence” model is becoming a major test case for how tighter regulations can affect player choice and operator competition. 

Understanding the license rule

For a long time, many gambling operators in the country have been using a multi-brand strategy. This is where a single license holder could operate multiple casino brands and domains, targeting different customer segments. This created a web of complex gambling domains because of the practice of reselling betting and gaming products using “skin” websites. But under the new structure, each operator is restricted to only one .it domain per license.

The new regulatory framework started operating on November 12, 2025, with the ADM activating 52 freshly licensed domains. It’s interesting to note that previously, the market had over 400 active betting websites. Now, only 46 operators have secured a license, with each license being priced at €7 million for a nine-year term. 

The licensing process has generated a good amount of revenue for the government, with the Ministry of Economy and Finance collecting €364 million. This is higher than the government’s projections of €350 million.

According to the government, the model improves transparency, consumer protection and regulatory oversight. By capping the license limits, the ADM is able to monitor compliance, AML controls, tax obligations and responsible gambling measures. 

Fewer websites means less superficial choice

One of the biggest impacts of the reform is psychological rather than purely numerical. You see, players often encounter dozens of websites when browsing. Unfortunately, what seems to be a highly diverse market just turns out to be identical casinos being run by the same company but under different domain names. 

One site might cater to sports betting enthusiasts, another to slot players, while others appeal to mobile gamers or VIP audiences through incentives like free spins and tailored bonus campaigns. Players may spend time deciding which offer provides better value, only to discover that many of these platforms operate using the same backend systems, game library, payment infrastructure and even customer support teams.

The new model reduces all this kind of artificial market fragmentation. 

For consumers, this means online casino choice becomes more concentrated around larger flagship brands and not the networks of smaller sub-brands. In fact, market analysts have stated that the reform specifically bans multi-brand “skin” websites and secondary domains.

As a result, players may notice:

• Fewer bonus-heavy niche casino brands
• Reduced duplication of similar casino experiences
• Greater visibility for established operators
• More standardized user experiences
• Stronger emphasis on trust and compliance

However, consumers must realize that this does not necessarily mean less competition overall. Instead, the competition now shifts from quantity of brands towards quality. Players today will have to specifically look at the platform quality, user experience, game selection, payment speed and responsible gambling tools. Practically speaking, Italian players will be comparing fewer operators more carefully instead of browsing hundreds of similar casino skins.

The model favors large gambling operators

The economics of the new licensing regime do not favor the smaller gambling organizations at all. Since 2018, operators have been paying premiums of €200,000. However, the rates have gone up by more than 35 times to €7 million, with €4 million being an upfront payment and €3 million being financial guarantees. Also, there are other requirements that need to be met. 

• Minimum revenue of €3 million over the previous two years
• Provide substantial bank guarantees
• Annual operating fee of 3% of net gaming revenue
• Invest 0.2% of GGR in responsible gambling initiatives, capped at €1 million annually

For startups and smaller casino brands, this is an almost impossible market to enter. However, it makes it easier for players to evaluate platforms and increase their trust. By this simplification of the licensed market, Italy is hoping that consumers can easily distinguish between legitimate operators and unauthorized sites.