Italy’s gaming regulator, Agenzia delle Dogane e dei Monopoli, has finished reviewing applications of gambling licenses under new regulations and issued 70 new licenses.
The new licensees include major players such as The Stars Group, William Hill, Paddy Power Betfair, GVC and bet365 as well as local land-based and online businesses and new Scandinavian entrants such as Casumo and Videoslots.
Licensees are required operators to pay a fee of €200,000 with companies also required to have an existing Italian or European Union gaming license, with turnover of at least €1.5m in the past two years. All licenses are valid until December 31, 2022, according to igamingbusiness.com.
Italy had made 120 licenses available and initially said it received 80 applications. The country began taking applications a year ago.
The licenses come as the country has instituted a ban on gambling and a tax hike which will tax online casino and bingo sites at 25 percent of gross gaming revenue. Land-based sports betting operators are now taxed at 22 percent.
