Italy's cabinet has approved a 2027 budget package that expects the gambling sector to contribute €700 million toward public finances. The measure forms part of a €26 billion plan combining tax cuts and spending increases, including additional funding for the national health service.
The post-cabinet report from Reuters confirms that gambling and energy companies are each expected to provide €700 million. Banks and insurers face a larger combined contribution of more than €5 billion through higher taxes and reduced reliefs.
The final mechanism for collecting the gaming contribution was not fully detailed in the cabinet announcement. An earlier iGaming Business report said lotteries and online gambling were the main areas under discussion, rather than a broad increase tied to retail concessions. That account described a proposal before cabinet approval and should not be treated as final implementing law.
Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni's government projects the budget deficit to rise from 2.9% of GDP in 2026 to 3.4% in 2027. Part of the package relies on temporary European Union flexibility for defence and green investment, while the domestic revenue measures finance relief for households, workers and businesses.
Cabinet approval does not complete the process. The draft must pass through parliament, where individual tax and gambling provisions can be amended before enactment. Operators therefore have confirmation of the sector-level €700 million target, but the precise allocation across online products, lotteries and other channels remains subject to the legislative text and subsequent implementation.
