Is Poker Legal in Italy? Online Poker Laws & ADM Regulation 2026

Italian Poker Legal Status by Activity

Italy operates a strictly closed market. Only ADM-licensed operators may serve Italian players. The Guardia di Finanza (financial police) enforces blocking of unlicensed international sites. The table below summarises legal status by activity.

Italy's Online Poker Law — ADM and the 2011 Framework

Italy was among the first European countries to regulate online poker. Legislative Decree 88/2011, implemented in early 2011, created the formal licensing framework for online poker operators wishing to serve Italian players. The regulatory body at the time was AAMS (Amministrazione Autonoma dei Monopoli di Stato), which was merged into ADM (Agenzia delle Dogane e dei Monopoli — Customs and Monopolies Agency) in 2012.

ADM operates Italy's closed market model: every operator that wants to accept Italian players must obtain a specific Italian license. International .com licenses (UK UKGC, Malta MGA) do not confer the right to serve Italian players. This is enforced through ISP-level blocking coordinated by ADM and the Guardia di Finanza (GdF), Italy's financial police force.

The 20% withholding tax requirement on prizes over €500 is unique among major European markets and is enforced at the platform level — operators calculate and deduct it before crediting tournament winnings to player accounts. This creates a significant administrative burden for operators but makes the tax obligation automatic for Italian players.

Italy's State-Licensed Casinos — A Unique System

Italy's live casino system is unlike any other major country in the world. There are only four state-licensed casinos in the entire country — a deliberate policy of the Italian government, which has historically treated casino gambling as a monopoly revenue source rather than a competitive commercial market.

Despite the small number of venues, Italy's four casinos have extraordinary histories. The Casinò di Venezia, founded in 1638, is the world's oldest surviving casino — its historic Ca' Vendramin Calergi palace on the Grand Canal is one of the most spectacular gambling venues anywhere. The Casino di Sanremo and Casinò di Campione (situated in an Italian enclave entirely surrounded by Switzerland) round out a collection of uniquely storied venues.

The Casino de la Vallée in Saint-Vincent is particularly notable for poker — it has hosted multiple WSOP Circuit events and Italian Poker Tour stops, drawing international players to the Aosta Valley. Beyond the four state casinos, private circoli (clubs) can host poker under regional licensing arrangements, creating additional live venues in major cities including Milan and Rome.

The European Liquidity Pool — Italy's Role

Italy joined the European Liquidity Pool (ELP) alongside France and Spain in 2018. The ELP allows players on participating platforms from Italy, France, Spain, Portugal, and Switzerland to compete at the same online poker tables — solving the low-traffic problem inherent in Italy's isolated closed market.

Before the ELP, Italian online poker players (accessing only the ring-fenced .it market of ~60 million people) faced thin cash game tables and modest MTT guarantees. The ELP expanded the effective player pool to approximately 200 million people across five countries, with dramatic improvements to game selection — particularly for MTTs and high-stakes cash games.

• Italy joined the ELP in 2018 at the same time as France and Spain
• Portugal and Switzerland are also ELP members
• Italian players on ELP tables compete with players from all five member countries
• PokerStars.it, 888poker.it, and other major operators offer ELP-enabled tables
• Italian Sunday Majors now regularly offer €100,000+ guarantees — unachievable pre-ELP

The ELP does not override Italian tax rules — the 20% ritenuta still applies to Italian players regardless of whether they win against Italian or international opponents on ELP tables. Operators must still hold ADM licenses to offer Italian players ELP access.

Italian Poker Tax Rules — The 20% Withholding

Italy applies a 20% withholding tax (ritenuta) on online poker tournament prize winnings exceeding €500 per session. This tax is applied automatically by ADM-licensed operators at the point of prize payment — the player receives their winnings minus 20% and the operator remits the withheld amount directly to the Italian tax authorities.

Italy's 20% automatic withholding on tournament prizes is the strictest mechanism among major European poker markets. France and Germany do not tax recreational players; Spain taxes all winnings but requires self-reporting. Italy's system is more administratively efficient for the state but means Italian tournament players immediately lose 20% of any prize above €500. Gambling losses cannot be offset against taxable gambling gains in Italy.

Best Online Poker Sites for Italian Players

All legal online poker sites for Italian residents must hold an ADM license. The major operators in Italy's market, along with their relative positions, are listed below.

Snai and Sisal — Italy's two largest domestic gaming companies — offer poker as part of broader gambling platforms that include sports betting, casino games, and lottery. Italian players who prefer a domestic brand with deep customer service roots tend to prefer these options. PokerStars.it is the choice for players who prioritise traffic, game selection, and tournament variety.

Frequently Asked Questions

Poker Legal Status by Country