DAZN Bet lands in Italy: the DAZN strategy that changes the game
At SiGMA Central Europe in Rome, amid packed stands, the voices of the industry’s most authoritative experts, and that unmistakable SiGMA energy signalling that the sector is facing a turning point, DAZN delivered a clear message: Italy is not just an important market, it is the place where a new idea of a sports ecosystem is taking shape.
Speaking to SiGMA World, Shay Segev, CEO of DAZN Group, and Donato Nigro, General Manager of DAZN Bet Italy, outlined the latest developments across the DAZN ecosystem. The future of sport, they explained, will not be a collection of separate services, but a single integrated experience. “We want to become the global destination for every sports fan,” Segev states. Not a slogan, but a manifesto.
DAZN aims to be the place where fans go to watch a match, follow commentary, join the community, buy tickets and – if they choose – place a bet.
This is where DAZN Bet comes in: not a parallel product, but a natural extension of an ecosystem that lives within the platform.
Why Italy? Numbers and strategy explain everything
Shay Segev emphasises it several times: Italy is a key market. Not only because of its deep-rooted cultural passion for football, but also for structural, industrial reasons. The platform holds the primary Serie A rights for the 2024–2029 cycle – a €4.5 billion deal that underlines the country’s central role in DAZN’s global strategy. DAZN broadcasts 266 matches per season, some in partnership with Sky, a volume unmatched by any other operator.
Globally, DAZN is assembling the pieces of a clear ambition: to become the “Spotify of sport”. Negotiations – reported by major international outlets – regarding rights for the new Club World Cup and future UEFA competitions confirm a long-term strategy.
Within this blueprint, Italy is the first tile of the European mosaic. And the move into betting fits perfectly: DAZN Bet completes the sports product, rather than acting as an add-on.
The Italian turning point: Scommettendo and the Nigro signature
The Italian project emerged with the acquisition of 80% of Scommettendo S.r.l. by the group’s betting holding. Segev puts it plainly: “Combining our strength as a media company with Donato Nigro’s local expertise is the key to succeeding in Italy.”
In Rome, a visibly proud Nigro recounts how the agreement began: a strategic plan developed with his team, presented and approved by the DAZN board. “It is an honour to represent this market,” he says. His background – forged within Scommettendo’s retail network – brings to the project a piece of Italy that global multinationals often struggle to understand: the centrality of the territory.
DAZN Bet Club: digital innovation that speaks the language of fans
One of the pillars of the strategy is the DAZN Bet Club, accessible both on the DAZN app and inside stadiums through content, predictions and formats featuring DAZN’s on-air talent. Everything here is designed to be “fun”: no deposits, no real betting, just an environment that turns fandom into a social game.
Nigro calls it “pure entertainment” – a way to welcome new users into the community without commercial pressure. It aligns with Europe’s evolving approach to responsible betting: guiding rather than pushing.
The second pillar is what sets DAZNbet apart from many multinational operators: its physical presence. This is where DAZN Point comes to life – a network of existing shops across the country that can sell DAZN vouchers, subscriptions, gift cards and related services under exclusive conditions.
Regulatory landscape: between the new online licence and the long-awaited retail tender
Nigro announces that, as of 13 November, DAZN Bet is live with its new online licence, obtained as part of Italy’s long-awaited regulatory overhaul. The tender, expected for a decade, awarded 52 licences, defining who can operate in the Italian market over the coming years. This marks DAZN Bet’s official entry into the ADM-regulated perimeter.
Across the halls of SiGMA Central Europe in Rome, DAZNbet did more than present a product – it unveiled a vision: combining the strength of a global sports powerhouse with the roots of Italian territory. Segev brings the global mission; Nigro brings the local market insight. Together, they are building a model never seen before in Italy: a sport + media + retail + betting ecosystem that could redefine both the market and the way Italian fans experience the game.
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