The government of Italy is reported to be in favour of delaying retail gambling measures and related tax reforms until August 2026.

 In Rome, news gathers that the government will change the timetable to implement the measures and reforms of the Reorganisation Decree of Italian Gambling, that were due to be settled on by December 2025.

The delay follows an appeal made by MP Mariangela Matera (Fratelli d’Italia), to the Ministry of Finance (MEF) to extend the Decree’s timetable from 24 to 36 months, to help regional authorities’ settle on the terms to finalise budget allocation.   

Despite months of deliberation, Italy’s regional government has yet to settle on how the Reorganisation Decree will distribute its shared taxes to apply the wide-scale regulatory changes sought by the federal government.

As determined, the Decree will streamline the laws of land-based gambling venues by applying a national licensing framework. New laws will impose mandatory distance limits from sensitive locations and reduce market saturation. 

At the same time, it will enforce stricter responsible gambling measures such as mandatory player ID for all machine-based gaming and integration with national exclusion registers to modernise consumer protections across the retail sector.

To apply changes, local governments will be guaranteed a share of gaming tax revenues equivalent to 5% of income tax of licences to generate approximately €300m per year needed to offset social costs and fund addiction support services. Regional governments will assume more clearly defined responsibilities in planning, oversight, and prevention, though without powers to issue licences.

Withstanding the delay, the reforms of the Reorganisation Decree are guaranteed by the Union Conference (UC), the representative body of Italy’s 20 regional governments and 345 municipal councils. The Conference  advised that a delay is required to coordinate fiscal measures with the upcoming financial law.

The Conference stressed that reform efforts must remain consistent with national objectives while providing adequate room for local implementation and funding mechanisms.

Crucially, the 2026 Budget Law will need to allocate new financial coverage to support the application of the Decree. Without this budgetary backing, no legislative decrees relating to tax redistribution, licensing, or regulatory enforcement can be enacted. As such, the postponement provides space to define funding instruments and secure long-term financial commitments.

MP Mariangela Matera, sponsor of the amendment, defended the extension: “We are not cancelling the reform, we are strengthening it by allowing time to secure the financial and institutional coordination it requires. 

This is about ensuring fairness across regions and delivering an effective system.” She further noted that “without clear budget guarantees, rushing implementation would create imbalances and weaken the reform’s impact.”

In parallel, the delay enables the government to open discussions on revising criminal and administrative penalties related to gambling offences. The current sanctioning framework is seen as outdated and fragmented, and lawmakers intend to introduce a more unified, deterrent-based system that applies across the retail and online sectors.

According to the explanatory report, the goal is to “dictate an organic discipline, more effective and with greater preventive and dissuasive force.”

The revised timetable is intended to ensure that the Reorganisation Decree can be implemented with financial backing, institutional support, and a modernised legal foundation allowing the government to future-proof its gambling legislation without compromising on regional or fiscal stability.

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