Italy Seeks Greater Clarity on Gambling Communications Under Strict Advertising Rules

Italy’s communications regulator is moving to provide greater clarity on how licensed gambling operators can interact with customers while remaining compliant with the country’s stringent advertising restrictions. The initiative comes as the regulator launches a consultation focused on responsible gambling communications, seeking to establish clearer distinctions between customer information that may be permitted and marketing activity that remains prohibited under existing law.

The consultation represents the latest effort to address long-standing uncertainty surrounding the interpretation of Italy’s gambling advertising framework. Regulators are examining where the line should be drawn between legitimate informational communications and messages that could be viewed as promotional in nature. For operators active in the Italian market, the outcome could significantly influence how they engage with customers and communicate product-related information going forward.

The review follows a public consultation process that generated more than 20 submissions from interested stakeholders. Among those participating were gambling operators seeking more detailed guidance on how licensed businesses can provide information about products, services, offers, and customer account activity without risking violations of the country’s advertising restrictions.

Industry participants are expected to push for clearer rules covering a range of marketing and customer engagement practices. Areas likely to receive particular attention include bonus offers, enhanced odds promotions, loyalty and rewards programmes, influencer relationships, affiliate marketing arrangements, and broader customer retention initiatives. Regulators are widely expected to maintain a conservative position toward any communication that could be interpreted as encouraging gambling activity, even indirectly.

Italy has maintained one of the most restrictive gambling advertising regimes in Europe since the introduction of the Dignity Decree in 2019. The legislation established a near-complete prohibition on gambling advertising and promotion across a broad spectrum of channels. The restrictions extend to television and radio advertising, digital marketing, sports sponsorship agreements, social media campaigns, and various forms of indirect promotional activity. As a result, licensed operators have faced significant limitations in how they can promote their products and communicate with existing and prospective customers.

The current consultation is not intended to dismantle or substantially weaken the advertising ban. Rather, its objective is to provide greater certainty regarding how existing rules should be interpreted and applied. Nevertheless, the initiative arrives amid continuing debate about the broader consequences of Italy’s restrictive approach, particularly within the sports sector.

Italian football has become a focal point in discussions surrounding gambling sponsorship restrictions. Concerns about revenue pressures affecting clubs and sporting organisations have prompted renewed examination of existing rules. Sports Minister Andrea Abodi is expected to review the current framework governing gambling sponsorship arrangements as part of broader discussions regarding funding and financial sustainability within the sport.

The timing of the consultation is also significant because it follows the launch of Italy’s new online gambling licensing regime. At the same time, enforcement activity against unlicensed operators continues to intensify. The country’s Customs and Monopolies Agency has recently added 146 additional domains to its blacklist of illegal gambling websites. As a result, the number of blocked domains during 2026 has now exceeded 500.

The broader enforcement campaign has been substantial in scale. Since 2019, authorities have blocked more than 12,000 unauthorised gambling websites and online portals, reflecting a sustained effort to limit consumer access to unlicensed operators and strengthen the position of the regulated market.

For licensed operators, the outcome of the consultation may prove highly consequential. Businesses operating in Italy must navigate one of Europe’s most restrictive regulatory environments, where the ability to communicate with customers is heavily constrained. The central challenge for regulators is determining whether operators can be provided with sufficient guidance to maintain effective customer relationships and fulfil legitimate communication needs without undermining the objectives of the advertising ban.

The consultation is likely to attract attention well beyond Italy’s borders. Across Europe, regulatory authorities are increasingly tightening oversight of gambling advertising, affiliate activity, influencer marketing, and other forms of indirect promotion. These developments have become particularly prominent ahead of major sporting events, where concerns about gambling-related marketing often intensify.

Italy remains one of the clearest examples of a jurisdiction where licensed operators face extensive limitations on customer communications while unlicensed competitors continue to exploit alternative channels to reach consumers. Illegal operators frequently utilise digital platforms, mirror websites, social media networks, and other online tools to promote gambling products outside the regulated framework. This contrast continues to fuel debate over whether heavily restricting legal operators ultimately strengthens consumer protection or creates opportunities for unregulated businesses to gain greater visibility among players.

As regulators review stakeholder feedback and consider potential guidance, licensed operators, sports organisations, compliance professionals, and policymakers across Europe will be watching closely. The final outcome could help define how gambling businesses communicate with customers in highly regulated environments while providing a model for other jurisdictions grappling with similar questions about advertising restrictions, consumer protection, and market competitiveness.

By fLEXI tEAM