ADM Blue Book 2023: Gaming sector expands across land-based and online
The year 2023 closed with confirmation of the strategic role of the gaming industry within the Italian economy. The Agenzia delle Dogane e dei Monopoli (ADM), through its 2023 Blue Book, provides a clear snapshot of a market on the rise, where both land-based and online gaming are strengthening. Economic indicators show an overall increase in turnover and a rise in tax revenues, which exceeded €11.62 billion, up 3.62% compared to 2022.
Turnover, winnings and tax revenues
According to ADM figures, total turnover grew by 8.53%, winnings rose by 9.76%, while players’ net spend increased by 1.60%. The payout ratio, equal to 86%, represents a further improvement compared to previous years.
Tax revenues – the portion flowing into public coffers – reached €11.62 billion. Although solid, the tax burden on turnover fell from 8.24% in 2022 to 7.87%, due to the growing impact of online gaming, which is subject to a lighter taxation regime.
Market composition
Gaming machines (AWP, VLT and Comma 7) remain the backbone of the industry, accounting for 52.71% of total revenues, with a turnover of €33.7 billion. From this, players received more than €25 billion in winnings, leaving a net spend of €8.5 billion.
Close behind are numerical games and lotteries, contributing 32.82% of revenues, divided between scratch cards and traditional lotteries (49.66%), Lotto (31.48%) and numerical totaliser games (18.86%). Sports betting and horse racing represent 6.54%, while Bingo and online skill games contribute 7.92%.
Lotto and lotteries
Lotteries continue to enjoy strong appeal, with total turnover of €11.8 billion and winnings amounting to €8.7 billion. Players’ residual spend stood at €3.1 billion. The Lotto generated €7.7 billion in turnover, returning €5.4 billion in winnings and leaving a net spend of €2.2 billion.
On a regional basis, the Lotto remains particularly popular in Campania (over €1 billion), Lombardy (€1.2 billion) and Lazio (€738 million).
Sports and horse racing betting
Fixed-odds betting experienced a positive year, with turnover reaching €25.6 billion (+14.18%). The main drivers were sports betting and virtual betting.
Conversely, totaliser games – such as national horse betting, V7 and other pools – declined by 10.06% after the rebound seen in 2022. The horse racing sector, while remaining small in scale, generated €417 million in turnover, with €335 million in winnings and a net spend of approximately €82 million, accounting for less than 1% of the overall market.
Bingo: land-based and online
Land-based Bingo exceeded €900 million in turnover, with Campania and Lazio in the lead (over €230 million and around €190 million respectively). Lombardy and Emilia-Romagna followed.
Online Bingo generated around €250 million in turnover, with €186 million in winnings and a residual spend of €63 million.
Land-based and online gaming
The reopening of land-based venues after the pandemic supported growth of 3.40%. The most dynamic segments were sports betting (+15.21%), horse racing (+8.52%), lotteries (+7.61%) and Lotto (+3.92%). Gaming machines, while still dominant, recorded a slight decline (-0.14%).
By contrast, online gaming experienced a surge of 12.95%. Standout performances came from digital lotteries (+64.84%), online sports betting (+14.59%) and skill games (+12.77%).
Online accounts and player profiles
In 2023, there were over 18.7 million active online accounts, with approximately 5.2 million new registrations. The 18–24 age group proved to be the most dynamic in terms of sign-ups, while the 25–34 bracket accounted for the largest share of active accounts.
Gender distribution showed a clear male majority: 14.6 million accounts were held by men compared to 4 million by women. New account openings followed a similar proportion.
Tackling illegal gambling
ADM strengthened enforcement activities across the territory. In 2023, a total of 19,894 inspections were carried out at physical outlets, while 490 unauthorised websites were blocked. The territorial monitoring index stood at 19.89%.
Sanctions increased by 36.25%, although the amounts assessed and collected declined, confirming a trend already observed in 2022.
Regional analysis: market leaders
A regional breakdown reveals strong disparities across Italy.
- Lombardy leads with a turnover of more than €12.4 billion, driven by gaming machines as well as lotteries and Lotto.
- Campania follows with over €7.3 billion, supported by the Lotto and a standout performance in Bingo, where it ranks first nationwide..
- Lazio recorded more than €6.4 billion, thanks to Lotto, lotteries and strong land-based Bingo activity.
- Emilia-Romagna surpassed €4 billion, with a significant share from land-based gaming and Bingo.
- Veneto and Piedmont, both above €3.5 billion, rely heavily on machines and lotteries.
- In the South, besides Campania, Sicily (€4.2 billion) and Apulia (€3 billion) stand out.
A sector in evolution
The picture painted by ADM’s 2023 Blue Book highlights a solid, expanding industry capable of balancing land-based and online gaming. Machines remain the main engine, but lotteries, Lotto and sports betting stand out as essential pillars.
The growth of digital channels, with double-digit expansion, points towards a future in which online gaming is set to play an increasingly central role. Meanwhile, Lombardy, Campania and Lazio remain the key regional hubs, reflecting the concentration of Italy’s gaming market.
This article was first published in Italian on 8 September 2025.
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