Online gaming Italy: new licensing season begins with partial self-exclusion set for 2026
Italy’s online gaming sector has officially entered a new phase. After midnight on 13 November 2025, when the new licensees took over and the former GAD concessions expired as established by Legislative Decree No. 41 of 25 March 2024, the industry is now operating within a regulatory framework that has been significantly redesigned. This transition marks one of the most substantial developments of recent years, introducing stricter operational models, tighter controls, and a broader range of player-protection measures.
Self-exclusion: a gradual transition for players
Although the market has already entered its new licensing phase, the procedures linked to self-exclusion are progressing more gradually. ADM has confirmed to licensees that only the general self-exclusion system will remain active until 31 January 2026, in line with a cautious approach aimed at safeguarding player well-being throughout the transition.
Players who choose to self-exclude today continue to rely on the existing options: 30, 60, or 90 days, or an indefinite exclusion, all activated through SPID authentication. The ban applies across the entire landscape of authorised platforms, as every setting is recorded within the Single Self-Exclusion Register – the central tool in Italy’s strategy to prevent gambling harm.
The new “partial” self-exclusion mechanisms will instead come into force on 1 February 2026. These measures will allow players to intervene selectively on their gambling activity, restricting access only to certain categories of products without closing their entire account. The decision to delay their implementation aims to ensure a uniform technical transition for all operators and clear communication to users.
What changes in 2026: personalised timeframes and selective limits
The full impact of the reform will materialise in early 2026. Article 20 of the new licensing agreement gives users the option to set personalised self-exclusion periods ranging from a minimum of seven days to a maximum of 270, alongside the possibility of indefinite exclusion. This update represents a crucial step towards a more flexible model of responsible gaming, tailored to individual needs.
At the same time, the Single Self-Exclusion Register will coordinate the application of these new settings across all authorised licensees. ADM aims to consolidate a system that ensures consistency, transparency, and enhanced protection across the regulated online market.
The era of “skins” ends. A more structured and controllable market emerges
The 13 November deadline also marked the end of another long-standing feature of the sector: the so-called “skins”, secondary websites linked to a primary licensee’s domain. From today, each operator may offer online gaming services only through one officially authorised website. The change is already visible in the first hours of implementation, providing users with a clearer identification of each licence-holder.
This decision is part of a broader plan to rationalise the market. The new tender introduced higher technical and financial requirements, reducing the number of authorised operators and producing a more concentrated, but more controllable, landscape. From an institutional perspective, this setup enables faster verification of gaming activity, better traceability of accounts, and stronger preventive measures.
Player communications: a new onboarding phase begins
With the start of the new concessions, players are now seeing updated notifications when accessing regulated gaming sites. ADM has instructed licensees to include specific messages informing users about the expiry of the previous concession, the transition to the new licence, and the acceptance of the new account contract aligned with Legislative Decree No. 41/2024.
The notifications also explain the updated spending, time and deposit limits. ADM clarified that the new settings will not take effect until the updated Technical Rules are implemented; until then, the existing deposit limit remains valid.
A key section of these messages concerns the new forms of self-exclusion provided for in the contract. Operators must state that only the traditional self-exclusion options of 30, 60, 90 days, or indefinite exclusion remain available until 31 January 2026. ADM has also announced an upcoming provision that will define criteria for exercising self-exclusion and the circumstances under which “third-party exclusion” may be applied – a stricter measure intended for complex or high-risk situations.
Third-party exclusion represents an additional layer of protection which, unlike voluntary self-exclusion, may be initiated by external parties or regulatory authorities when a player’s behaviour indicates heightened vulnerability. Although the measure has yet to be fully defined by ADM, it is intended to provide a faster and more decisive intervention in situations where the risks associated with continued gambling exceed the safeguards offered by standard self-exclusion procedures.
Identification and security: strengthened controls with Sogei
Within the new regulatory framework, opening a gaming account continues to require the acquisition of the player’s identity document before activation. Licensees must submit a protocol message to ADM confirming the acquisition, and the account can go live only after verification by the Tax Registry systems operated by Sogei. This process strengthens user traceability and ensures immediate oversight during registration.
A system moving towards stronger protection
Today’s picture reflects a sector that has already embarked on its transformation. The new concessions are active, websites have been updated, and the first control measures are functioning. However, the core of the reform will take shape over the coming months, when partial self-exclusions and personalised timeframes complete the framework outlined by the 2024 decree.
The online gaming industry is entering a more mature phase built on transparency, responsibility and user protection. The months ahead will be decisive in assessing the effectiveness of the new rules and their impact on player behaviour, as the sector redefines its boundaries with a focus on safety and sustainability.
This article was first published in Italian on 14 November 2025.
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