Unprecedented Wagers in Italian Football: A staggering €16.1 billion was staked in bets during 2024
Football Betting: A Strategic and Growing Aspect of Italy's Economy
Italian football finds itself at a crossroads, as it ponders whether to maintain restrictions on the betting sector or to develop a modern regulatory framework that ensures protection, transparency, and economic returns. The betting industry, as it turns out, is a strategic component of Italy's football ecosystem, bringing direct financial value, tax revenue, employment, and international market influence.
According to recent data, football betting generated a record €16.1 billion in wagers in 2024 alone, contributing approximately €1.8 billion directly to Italy’s GDP and producing tax revenues of about €401.6 million—an all-time high. This activity thus emerges as a key strategic economic asset intertwined with the wider football ecosystem.
Football, as a whole, contributed an estimated €12.4 billion to Italy’s GDP in 2023–2024, supporting around 141,000 full-time equivalent jobs. Football betting is one of five main value segments, alongside professional football operations, youth/amateur/FIGC activities, media/broadcasting, and football tourism.
The fiscal impact of football betting specifically includes the generation of the historic €401.6 million tax revenue, highlighting its considerable role in public finances related to sports betting. Policymakers face the challenge of balancing regulation to ensure revenues benefit Italy's economy while preventing bettors from moving to offshore markets.
In the broader context, the overall Italian gaming market is estimated at about €22 billion, with sports betting as a major component contributing to economic growth and employment. No other segments of Italy's football economy or gambling sectors from the available data have revenue figures as high as football betting, illustrating its growing weight and integration within the economy.
The betting sector's impact extends beyond the financial realm. For instance, the technical sponsorship agreement signed with Adidas in 2023, valid until 2030, places the FIGC among the top five national federations worldwide in terms of revenue from technical partnerships.
In the near future, the "SiGMA Central Europe" event is set to take place at the Fiera Roma from 03-06 November 2025, uniting 30,000 delegates, 1,200 exhibitors, and 700+ speakers. This gathering promises to further explore the potential of the betting sector and its role in shaping Italy's football landscape.
As the landscape of football betting continues to evolve, it is clear that this sector plays a crucial role in Italy’s national economy, supporting thousands of jobs, generating substantial tax revenues, and contributing significantly to the country’s GDP. The future of this strategic component will undoubtedly shape the trajectory of Italian football and its economic impact for years to come.
[1] Source: Various economic reports and studies on the Italian football and betting sectors [4] Source: Global gambling market research reports
- The betting sector, a strategic component within Italy's football ecosystem, generated a record €401.6 million in tax revenues in 2024, showcasing its considerable role in public finances related to sports betting.
- Football betting, along with professional football operations, youth/amateur/FIGC activities, media/broadcasting, and football tourism, is one of the five main value segments in Italy's football economy, contributing significantly to the country's GDP and supporting around 141,000 full-time equivalent jobs.
