Anyone who follows Inter knows: international breaks are the time when, without a match to comment on live, you end up reading everything you would normally skip. With Dimarco sidelined and half the squad scattered between training camps and intercontinental flights, this weekend I found myself doing exactly that: instead of the usual transfer rumors, I opened the latest financial report from the Customs and Monopolies Agency to understand just how big the public gaming market in Italy has really become. The result surprised me more than I expected.
A 165 Billion Market, Driven Mainly by Online
According to the 2025 Financial Report published by ADM, the total revenue from public gaming in Italy reached 165.33 billion euros, up 5% from the previous year. What struck me most, however, is not the total itself, but its composition: while some traditional sectors like AWP remain basically stable or slightly declining, the tax revenue from virtual betting rose by 23.14% and that from remote skill games, i.e., online casino games and cash games, by 17.74%. In practice, the fastest-growing part of the market is no longer the betting shop around the corner, but everything played from a smartphone or computer, with a click, in the evening after work or during a break like this one.
Betting and Casinos, Two Sides of the Same Regulated Ecosystem
For those like me who follow Inter mainly through predictions on upcoming matches, it’s easy to think of legal gaming as synonymous with sports betting. However, the numbers tell a broader story, in which the same ADM licensing and control framework also covers remote casino gaming, now one of the fastest-growing segments in the entire sector. Anyone approaching this world out of curiosity, perhaps precisely on weekends without football like this one, should start with sources that clearly explain what distinguishes an authorized operator from one that is not: the ItaliaCasinos guide to legal and safe online casinos collects exactly this type of information, from ADM licenses to security criteria, useful for those who want to get their bearings even before opening a gaming account.
The Risk Numbers That Cannot Be Ignored
It must be said just as clearly that a regulated market is not a risk-free market. According to the Istituto Superiore di Sanità, gambling disorder is a recognized behavioral addiction, classified since 2013 in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5). In Italy, according to the latest epidemiological study by the National Center for Addiction and Doping, 36.4% of the adult population has gambled at least once in the past twelve months, and about 3%, equal to 1.5 million people, fall into the problematic gambler profile according to the PGSI scale. Another 2.8%, almost 1.4 million people, are in the moderate risk range. These are numbers that, read alongside the double-digit growth of online gaming, explain why the attention of politicians and regulators on the sector has increased, not decreased, in recent years.
The Warning Signs the Passione Inter Editorial Team Invites You to Watch Out For
Not by chance, here on Passione Inter we had already addressed the topic in a dedicated guide on how to maintain a healthy approach to betting, with practical advice on budget management and avoiding impulsive decisions. The same principles apply, if not more so, to online casino gaming: the need to bet increasingly higher amounts to feel the same initial thrill, thinking about gaming even outside the times you actually play, the attempt to chase losses with bigger bets convinced you can recover quickly. These are signs that concern your personal relationship with gaming over time, not just a single more or less lucky weekend.
Where to Ask for Help, If Needed
In Italy, there is a free and anonymous National Helpline, managed by the Istituto Superiore di Sanità, available at 800 55 88 22 from Monday to Friday from 10 am to 4 pm. A team of professionals answers and directs you to health services and treatment centers in the area, even for those who are just looking for an initial consultation without having to reveal their identity.
What I Take Away from This Break
In the end, what I thought would be an empty weekend without Inter on the pitch turned into a little refresher on a sector that, between betting and online casinos, is now worth more than 165 billion euros a year in Italy. A huge market, regulated more carefully than one might think, but still a risky market for those who do not keep their time and budget under control. I will gladly return to talking about the transfer market as soon as Serie A resumes, but these numbers deserved a more careful reading than a quick headline between one video and another.
