Applications will reportedly soon open in Italy for online casino licenses to be awarded to potential operators in the area, in its endeavor to expand its online casino market.
After making a decision in 2015 to award 120 new online gaming licenses to operators, it looks as though the Italian Government will soon be calling for applications with the process possibly taking place between Monday 18th and Monday 25th September 2017.
It is believed that 40 of a reported 120 new online gaming licenses that will be available to operators will be awarded to already existing stakeholders in Italy’s online gambling market.
Those operators wanting to be awarded a license will be given two months to prepare applications and successful operators will be required to pay €200 million for the license that will be given right through until the end of 2022.
More than €1 billion in revenue was generated by Italy’s online market last year showing an increase of 25% year-on-year with online casino betting being the largest contributor to the total revenue, generating almost half of the overall amount.
Around €350 million in revenue was generated by sports betting and the massive online gambling income saw Italy become the second biggest online casino market in Europe.
Online poker revenue has, however, dropped year-on-year and Italy now operates a shared liquidity agreement with Spain, France and Portugal in an attempt to augment online poker.
Italy hopes that by expanding its online casino it will enable the success of online sports and casino betting to continue and offer help to its online poker market.