Eurispes

Gaming, Italian market growing: EUR 157 billion to be spent in 2024

This is the picture described by the Eurispes report on sports betting and gaming in Italy

by Davide Madeddu

21 August 2025

3' min read

Key points

Italy's 157 billion game
Sports betting
Not everything is positive
Dependencies
Technologies

3' min read

The sports betting market is growing. And along with the volume of business, it also brings with it a series of problems related to addiction and the economic crisis of families. It is a black-and-white picture that is told by the report 'How the growth of sports betting is redefining business models' produced by Eurispes.

Italy's 157 billion game

"The gaming market in Italy is therefore one of the largest in Europe, with continuous growth both in terms of overall revenue and digital penetration," writes Eurispes. "In 2024, the total amount played was over 157 billion euros, an increase of 6.5% compared to the previous year. Gross Gaming Revenue (GGR) reached EUR 21.5 billion in 2023, confirming Italy as the European leader in the sector'.

Sports betting

However, that is not all. The Internet also plays an important role in this scenario. "Sports betting in Italy is growing at an annual rate of 20%, with 60% of bets placed online," writes Eurispes. Football dominates the betting scene, followed by basketball and tennis. Technological innovations such as live betting and mobile adoption have further stimulated the sector'. In this context, 'football is confirmed as the predominant sport (75% of bets), followed by basketball (10%) and tennis (7%). New forms of gaming are emerging such as eSports (+40% in 2024), social betting and live betting, which already account for 60% of the online market". And special attention also goes to online gaming, which "has seen significant expansion, with a collection of EUR 92 billion in 2024". "This channel has surpassed the physical one, accounting for 58.5% of total bets," the report goes on to say. "The growth of online gaming has been driven by the preferences of the younger age groups, with more than 50% of active online accounts held by people aged between 18 and 34.

Not everything is positive

While the sector is growing in terms of technology, membership and turnover, it also has to contend with a number of social and economic issues.

Starting from the fact that throughout the world, the world of sports betting is growing by about 10% per year, with 'a capacity to affect the economy and the "sports culture"', the Eurispes researchers emphasise that 'Italy holds the European primacy in terms of collection, but this leadership brings with it responsibilities and criticalities that are reflected in the regulatory, fiscal and health areas'.

Dependencies

'The most problematic side of the growth is gambling addiction,' it goes on to say. 'An estimated 1.5 million Italians have problematic behaviour, but only a minority access treatment services. The negative effects are multiple: indebtedness, family conflicts, social isolation and psychological disorders. Current measures, such as self-exclusion and spending limits, are still insufficient'. Other countries, such as the United Kingdom and the Nordic countries, 'adopt more advanced systems, integrating monitoring and welfare'.

Technologies

Emerging technologies can play an important role here. 'Artificial intelligence allows dynamic updating of odds and personalisation of offers, but risks encouraging compulsive behaviour,' the experts point out. 'Big data and behavioural tracking allow detailed segmentation of players, while blockchain opens up peer-to-peer betting models with money laundering risks. Hyper-targeted advertising increases the effectiveness of marketing but accentuates the vulnerability of fragile players'. One use of these technologies, as the experts suggest, may be to 'signal problematic gambling trends before a player can develop pathological behaviour'.

For the experts, it is therefore necessary to strike the right balance between opening up to the market a sector that is 'a strategic economic resource' and protecting public health, in what is a 'social and political challenge'.

Hence the need to have an 'integrated approach' made up of a constant regulatory update, ethical use of technologies, strengthening of prevention measures and regulation of advertising. An 'indispensable choice' to reconcile economic opportunities and the safeguarding of social cohesion'.