Italy Launches Centralized Gambling Dispute Portal this September

A significant shift in digital player protection is underway in Italy. The Customs and Monopolies Agency (ADM), the body responsible for regulating gambling, has announced the launch of a new central complaint portal. Starting September 10, 2026, users will be able to submit official complaints against licensed online gambling operators via the Portale delle segnalazioni. This system is designed to make the dispute resolution process in the regulated market more transparent and faster by creating a direct interface between consumers, companies, and the regulatory authority.

The introduction of this portal is not an isolated step but is embedded in a far-reaching reorganization of the Italian online gambling market. The focus here is particularly on cybersecurity and consumer protection. To submit a complaint, players must identify themselves using their CIE electronic identity card or the SPID system. This ensures that only verified users use the system and prevents misuse through anonymous reports. The ADM emphasizes that this approach will strengthen the integrity of the market.

Numbers and facts

The financial framework of this market reorganization is considerable. A total of 48 operators have secured concessions as part of the new licensing system. Each of these licenses costs 7 million euros. These revenues flow, among other things, into increased monitoring and the technical infrastructure of the authorities. An important partner of the ADM is the state-owned IT group SOGEI. Together, they are working on a shield against illegal operators who act without an Italian license.

Strict time limits apply to the processing of complaints. As soon as a player submits a report via the portal, the operator concerned has exactly 72 working hours to react to it. Public holidays are excluded from this period. In the first phase, the ADM does not intervene actively, as the conflict should first be clarified directly between the customer and the licensee. Only if the answer is missing or the result is not satisfactory for the player can the case be escalated to the regulatory authority. Once the ADM makes a final decision, the case is considered closed and cannot be submitted again.

„The portal is designed to create a clearer process for handling disputes in the regulated market.“ - Spokesperson for ADM, Customs and Monopolies Agency Italy

Background

While the online sector is being modernized, there is stagnation in the land-based area. The government under Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has removed the corresponding reform decree for the retail sector from the parliamentary agenda for 2026 for the time being. The reason for this is disagreements between the Ministry of Finance and Italy's autonomous regions over license conditions and national rules. Roberto Alesse, Director of the ADM, has declared expanded supervision in the digital sector a priority, while stationary gambling halls and betting shops will probably not be able to count on new negotiations until 2027.

Why it matters for German players

For German players, the development in Italy is an interesting comparative value to the local State Treaty on Gambling 2021. In Germany, the Joint Gambling Authority of the States (GGL) takes on a similar role in monitoring. While Italy relies on a central portal for individual dispute cases, the focus in Germany is heavily on compliance with technical guidelines such as the deposit limit of 1,000 euros per month and the stake limit of 1 euro per spin for virtual machines. This data is monitored centrally via the LUGAS system.

In Germany, there are reporting forms for violations of player protection, but such a formalized portal with fixed response periods of 72 hours for operators does not yet exist in this form as a central arbitration board of the GGL. German customers often have to contact the customer service of the whitelist providers directly in the event of disputes or pursue civil law paths. The Italian solution could serve as a model here for how to channel communication between players and licensed casinos more efficiently to strengthen trust in the legal market.

What it means for GGL-licensed casinos

German casinos with a GGL license already have to meet the strictest requirements for IT security and data protection today. The cooperation between the Italian ADM and SOGEI shows that European regulators are increasingly relying on state IT expertise. For providers in Germany, this means that the regulatory air is getting thinner if processes are not automated and transparently documented. A central complaint system, such as Italy is now introducing, would mean an additional administrative burden for GGL-licensed companies, but at the same time separate the wheat from the chaff by identifying unreliable providers faster.

Italy's focus on cybersecurity also underlines the trend that gambling portals are no longer viewed only as entertainment platforms, but as critical infrastructures. Anyone holding a license in Germany should closely monitor developments in the neighboring country, as similar portals for consumer advice and complaints are repeatedly discussed at the level of EU regulation. The ADM is setting a standard here that massively increases the responsibility of the operators.