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Italy gambling report highlights crisis in small municipalities
A new report titled ‘Non così piccoli. Azzardo, un problema in più per i piccoli Comuni italiani’, promoted by Fondazione Isscon, Federconsumatori, and CGIL, highlights a significant rise in gambling within Italian municipalities of 2,000 to 10,000 inhabitants.
In 2025, these territories saw 34.7 billion euros played through physical and online gambling, resulting in 4.6 billion euros in losses. The study identifies 113 small municipalities in an ‘acute gambling crisis,’ where per capita spending exceeds double the national average. Notable extreme cases include Baia and Latina in Campania, with over 102,000 euros per resident, and Polaveno in Lombardy.
In Tuscany, the phenomenon is widespread with 823,560 active online accounts. Specific towns like Bientina and Larciano have seen massive surges in per capita spending. In the Salerno province, Atena Lucana leads with 7,567 euros per capita. The report also notes the rise of the ‘Betting Exchange,’ a form of gambling described as opaque and potentially linked to money laundering.
Entities
Atena Lucana · Bientina · CGIL · Federconsumatori · Fondazione Isscon · Tuscany
Claims
What the coverage asserts, and how many sources carry each claim.
- [○ 1 SOURCE] Gambling in Italy has increased by 72% over the last decade. auser.it
- [○ 1 SOURCE] Atena Lucana recorded a per capita gambling expenditure of 7,567 euros in 2025. www.infocilento.it
- [● 3 SOURCES] A study on gambling in small Italian municipalities was conducted by CGIL, Federconsumatori, and Fondazione Isscon. auser.it · www.adginforma.it · www.infocilento.it
- [● 2 SOURCES] In Baia and Latina (Caserta), online gambling reached approximately 102,000 euros per resident aged 18 to 74 in 2025. auser.it · www.adginforma.it
- [● 2 SOURCES] In 2025, 34.7 billion euros were wagered in physical and online gaming across the analyzed municipalities, resulting in 4.6 billion euros in losses. auser.it · www.adginforma.it
- [○ 1 SOURCE] 96% of the online gambling volume in certain high-expenditure areas is attributed to Betting Exchanges. auser.it