Italy budget bill lifts slot levy, doubles stakes and extends gambling licences to 2029
Italy's 2027 budget bill raises the levy on slots and video lottery terminals, doubles the maximum slot stake and prize, and extends betting, slot, VLT and bingo concessions to the end of 2029. The text contains no new tax on online gambling, according to iGaming Business.
Italy's bill is about land-based machines, so it does not change anything for South African players directly. It does show how governments reach for gambling tax when budgets are tight, which matters here because National Treasury has said it intends to set out an online gambling tax design in the February 2027 Budget. Italy also shows the pattern of a tax landing on one part of the industry rather than another, and South African players are best served by following the real Budget text rather than early reports.
What the bill contains
According to iGaming Business, which cites the certified text now heading to the Italian parliament, the machine levy (PREU) on slots rises from 24% to 25% from 1 January 2027. On video lottery terminals (VLTs) it rises from 8.6% to 9.6%. Slots that pay out at least 70% in prizes would pay a reduced 20% rate.
The maximum stake per slot game doubles from 1 euro to 2 euros, and the maximum prize goes from 100 euros to 200 euros.
Licences extended to the end of 2029
Betting, slot, VLT and bingo concessions that were due to expire on 31 December 2026 would run to the end of 2029. Betting shops would pay 14,250 euros a year per right where gambling is the main business and 8,550 euros where it is secondary. The Gratta e Vinci scratchcard concession is extended for 188 million euros, and Lotto and SuperEnalotto gain an extra weekly draw.
The bill also creates a licensing regime for esports and LAN gaming halls offering skill games without cash prizes, and bans betting of any kind in those venues.
Who pays
The measures are expected to raise about 952 million euros in 2027 on the bill's own technical estimates, as reported by Italian Gaming News via iGaming Business. That is more than the 700 million euros the prime minister had announced the week before. The text has no new levy on online gambling and no change to the lottery commission, which means the retail sector carries most of the load. Earlier reports had suggested online and lotteries could be hit instead, so those reports did not hold up.
What it means for South African players
Nothing changes for anyone playing from South Africa because of this bill. The useful lesson is about process. Draft numbers moved between the first reports and the certified text, so early headlines on tax are unreliable. Watch for the actual South African Budget documents in February 2027, not commentary on them.
If you want to understand how offshore sites relate to South African law, read our FICA verification guide, and remember that no online casino is licensed in South Africa.
What to watch next
Hearings in the Chamber of Deputies are expected to start around 5 November, with amendments due by 17 November. Parliament must approve the budget by 31 December. Trade body As.Tro has called an urgent meeting of its technical committee to assess the slot and VLT measures.