Catania police shut down illegal betting hub in Picanello

Italian police continued their crackdown on unlicensed gambling in the province of Catania, targeting a centre in the Picanello neighbourhood. Officers from the Borgo Ognina public security commission, together with staff from the regional Directorate of the Customs and Monopolies Agency, discovered that the venue was run by a 33‑year‑old Catanese resident without the required licence.

The operation used computer terminals connected to the internet to forward wagers to an overseas betting platform. The operator kept a commission on the bets and paid out winnings directly to players, violating Italian gambling regulations and raising concerns about organised‑crime infiltration. The centre was closed, and the proprietor was handed over to the judicial authorities, with the presumption of innocence remaining until a final verdict.