Targeting illegal gambling amongst an assortment of other illegal gambling activities, the Italian Customs and Monopolies Agency (ADM) or AAMS was established in July 1999.

The AAMS Italy acts as the governing branch overseeing and regulating the quickly expanding Italian gaming industry.

Italy sees a significant rise in online gambling

Gambling in Italy has seen a significant peak with online platforms leading to companies like ProCasino, to analyze the growing data of revenue and users. Last year online casinos were gaining more and more traction especially during the height of the 2020 pandemic lockdown.

“The global online gambling market is expected to grow from $58.9 billion in 2019 and to $66.7 billion in 2020 at a growth rate of 13.2%. The growth is mainly attributed to Covid-19, due to which populations are confined at home during the lockdown and have free time to participate in several free and paid leisure activities including online gambling.” (Businesswire.com, March 2020)

In addition to an absurd amount of revenue Italy saw generated last year from online gambling and the COVID-19 lockdown, there also resulted in a spike in new Italian consumers and first time users. As a result of more people being forced indoors due to the country’s lockdown, with Italy being one of the first to lockdown and for the longest, new user registrations were on the rise.

According to an article by Statista.com “Due to the impact of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, revenues of online gambling in Italy increased significantly in March 2020, compared to the previous year.”

More users means more demand for certified online gambling in Italy

An increase in users correlates to a matched increase in online Italian gambling casinos demanding certification from the ADM licensing board. This is why and where ADM enters the Italian virtual gaming industry, overseeing the regulations and ethical practices of gaming platforms operating in Italy.

Some key safety measures the AAMS in Italy oversees include:

• direct access to every casino’s servers with Italy licenses
• audits and investigations
• ensuring users have access to quick and reliable gaming tools
• maintaining safe and secure consumer database
• fighting illegal gambling in Italy

So you want to know how you can get your Italian gambling certification?

Demand for a gambling certification in Italy is on the rise but just how easy is it? Well that’s a great question. Gaming websites operating in Italy without an AAMS license are at risk of hefty fines or even possibly gaming suspension.

The steps to be taken to acquire this coveted license is not without a challenge, the casino must be able to pass a series of challenging tests followed up with a significant financial investment. In 2019 the cost for a maximum 9-year gambling license in Italy was set with a 2 million euro renewal fee.

Requirements for the AAMS gambling certification in Italy

The AAMS certification requires a lengthy application and vetting process with some of the requirements including the following:

• a turnover of no less than €1,500,000 in the last 2 years;
• function at a high technical level, providing stable, secure, and easy-to-use services;
• be incorporated as a limited company;
• have reliable administration members;
• have its official residence and technical support in one of the EU countries;
• pay €350,000 to AAMS for technical management, administration, and supervision;
• casinos provide the ADM with access to the operating servers ensuring transparency and monitoring of players and casinos;
• player registration requirements including personal information and banking details.

The regulations and safety measures the ADM is able to impose allows both the player and the game-provider with a safety net preventing fraud, theft and other criminal activities. Casinos found to be operating without the ADM license can face fines and even jail. For this reason it is legally required to have the certification logo appear on the homepage of virtual gaming platforms operating in Italy.

Why is gambling in Italy this much regulated?

When you play with an uncertified casino platform the list of vulnerabilities increase exposing the consumer to unreliable games with the possible intention to exploit the user, identity protection and risk of personal data exposure increases, never receiving payouts, and even platforms using winnings for illegal activity.

These are just a few examples for why Italy remains a strict gambling location with ADM license being a rigorous goal that takes patience and a little luck. With the number of licenses being granted until 2022 hovering at just 120 the supply definitely does not meet the demand in the case of Italy’s AAMS gambling certification. Once the applicant is granted the license they are then permitted to operate online poker, online casino and a number of other betting events.

Responsible Gaming: AAMS Italy

Strict on regulation but also strict on self-care and mental wellness. The ADM established what has been called the Responsible Gaming section which aims to protect players from addiction to gambling. Consistent exposure to easily accessible and entertaining gaming platforms should be monitored and addressed which is what led ADM to require gambling platforms in Italy to add a page on their website encouraging help and support for addicted bettors.

Additionally, the ADM licensing board has managed to regulate the Return to Player (RTP). The RTP affects the gaming experience offering reassurance to the player. An AAMS certified casino does not determine the minimum percentage of RTP offered by the games, but instead it’s the AAMS that decides this therefore protecting the players from fraud.