Decline in Italian Gambling Tax Revenue Reports

(AsiaGameHub) –   A drop in revenue from gaming machines in Italy resulted in a lower tax collection for January.

Italy.- According to the most recent figures from the Ministry of Economy and Finance, gambling tax income in Italy decreased during the first two months of 2026.

Although the total tax revenue remained stable at €91.8bn, income from the gambling industry fell by 12.4 per cent compared to the previous year, reaching €1.31bn. Indirect gambling taxes saw a steeper drop of 17.1 per cent, down to €1.049bn.

This decrease is mainly due to reduced tax income from gaming machines in January. Revenue from this sector declined by 15.2 per cent to €800m in the first month of the year. An increase in February, which rose year-on-year from €249m in 2025 to €391m, was insufficient to compensate for January’s weaker performance.

As reported by the Italian specialist media source Jamma, these numbers extend a pattern observed in recent years. Revenue from gambling machines has fallen from €978m at the start of 2024, to €943m in 2025, and €800m in the initial months of 2026. Annual totals have also decreased, from €5.423bn in 2024 to €5.244bn in 2025.

Other areas of the market have experienced more moderate changes, showing some slight improvements in February. Analysts indicate that this trend could be a result of shifting consumer preferences, new regulations, or broader economic factors.

New licenses for online gambling in Italy were finally implemented towards the end of last year. Meanwhile, long-debated reforms for the land-based gambling sector are anticipated to be put forward shortly.