Italy Eyes Gambling Sponsorship Return as Football Federation Links Ad Ban to Structural Decline

Key Takeaways:

• Outgoing FIGC president Gravina calls for Dignity Decree repeal successful 11-page betterment report
• Serie A clubs estimation €100M-€150M per twelvemonth successful mislaid sponsorship since 2019 advertisement ban
• Italy ranks 49th of 50 leagues for under-21 nationalist team-eligible playing clip astatine 1.9%

A Seven-Year Ban Under Fire From All Sides After Huge Sporting Failure

Gravina published the report connected April 8, which was primitively prepared for a parliamentary proceeding that was canceled aft his departure. The papers frames Italy’s repeated World Cup failures arsenic symptoms of structural decay alternatively than short-term mismanagement. Among its cardinal arguments is that the 2018 Dignity Decree, which imposed a near-total prohibition connected gambling advertizing and sports sponsorships, has deprived Italian shot of captious backing without achieving its nationalist wellness objectives.

Gravina cited the last study of Italy’s ain Parliamentary Commission of Inquiry into amerciable gambling, published successful 2022, which recovered that gambling really accrued aft the prohibition took effect – including among minors – and that amerciable wagering grew alongside it. The FIGC study besides referenced a 2026 UEFA survey connected European nine finances which identified betting and gambling companies arsenic the astir communal garment sponsor class crossed the continent, underscoring the competitory disadvantage facing Italian clubs.

Serie A clubs person estimated losses of astatine slightest 100 to 150 cardinal euros annually successful foregone sponsorship gross since the Dignity Decree took effect successful 2019. It was introduced by the short-lived Lega–5-Star Movement conjugation authorities arsenic portion of its broader labour and anti-poverty bundle and was contentious from inception.

The conjugation itself collapsed wrong a year, but the advertisement prohibition remained. Some teams person since worked astir the restrictions done “infotainment” partnerships with gambling subsidiaries – Inter Milan’s woody with Betsson Sport being the astir salient illustration – but these arrangements autumn good abbreviated of afloat sponsorship value.

Gravina’s FIGC study besides highlights the dire authorities of Italian younker development. Italy ranks 49th retired of 50 monitored leagues for the percent of minutes played by under-21 players eligible for the nationalist team, at conscionable 1.9 percent. Foreigners relationship for 68 percent of each minutes played successful Serie A. Professional Italian shot collectively loses much than €700 cardinal per twelvemonth successful aggregate operating losses, compounded by precocious indebtedness levels and a past of clubs collapsing oregon being excluded from competitions.

Gravina’s proposals see channeling a percent of betting revenues into grassroots programs, academies and stadium construction, reinstating the “Growth Decree” taxation authorities for overseas professionals, lifting the advertizing and sponsorship ban, and restructuring the league pyramid from Serie A done Serie D.

The study lands amid a broader authorities propulsion to overhaul Italy’s gambling regulatory framework. Sports Minister Andrea Abodi, who ran against Gravina for the FIGC presidency successful 2018 and publically called for his resignation aft the Bosnia defeat, has described the Dignity Decree arsenic a “blunt populist tool” and has been tasked with processing a replacement. Abodi presented a Sports Decree past year that included provisions for repealing the advertisement ban, with a projected 1 percent levy connected sponsorship revenues earmarked for stadium redevelopment, women’s and grassroots sport, and addiction programs.

Italy’s communications regulator AGCOM approved new guidelines for liable gambling advertizing successful precocious March, establishing a constrictive model nether which licensed operators tin tally branded liable gambling campaigns without breaching the existing ban. The 30-day consultation play was expected to reason earlier summer, perchance creating a span betwixt the existent prohibition and immoderate replaces it.

The European Gaming and Betting Association argued successful October 2023, responding to an probe by La Gazzetta dello Sport, that the Dignity Decree has actively aided the achromatic market, citing estimates of €25 cardinal successful yearly unlicensed wagers successful Italy and astir €1 cardinal successful gross gaming gross mislaid to offshore operators each year.

Italy’s Customs and Monopolies Agency approved 46 operators for the country’s caller online gambling licensing authorities successful precocious 2025, generating €365 cardinal successful nonstop revenue, which was supra the government’s projected range. Online gambling gross gaming gross is projected to surpass €5.5 cardinal by the extremity of 2026.

Legislation to formally regenerate the Dignity Decree has not yet been introduced successful parliament, and portion sponsorship betterment enjoys wide governmental support, easing restrictions connected broadcast and integer advertizing is expected to look stronger absorption from nationalist wellness groups and absorption parties similar the Five Star Movement and the Democratic Party.

Gravina was elected FIGC president successful October 2018 and oversaw Italy’s Euro 2020 triumph, but besides presided implicit the country’s nonaccomplishment to suffice for some the 2022 and 2026 World Cups. Head manager Gennaro Gattuso and wide manager Gianluigi Buffon also resigned successful the aftermath of the Bosnia defeat. His successor volition beryllium elected connected June 22.