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BAD NEWS ON ITALIAN ONLINE POKER

Source: bluffed.net


Latest numbers from regulator AAMS show a serious year-on-year decline

Annual comparative numbers issued by Italy's online gambling regulator AAMS Friday have industry analysts concerned at an apparent decline of almost 31% between August this year and August 2025.

Italian poker cash games were approved in July last year with great expectations, and the latest numbers therefore represent the first year-on-year overall assessment; unfortunately it is not an encouraging picture.

The dedicated Italian market in cash games and tournaments generated Euro 33.8 million in August 2025, but by comparison August 2025 only delivered Euro 23.4 million - a 30.7% slide.

The reasons for such a significant decline are the subject of speculation, with analysts suggesting that the principal causes are probably:

* Too restricted a [ring-fenced] market, reducing player liquidity

* Limited innovation and a restricted number of game choices

* Flowing from the above, smaller and less player-attractive prize pools

* Discouragingly high taxation

These factors are thought to militate against a stronger dedicated Italian market, and may be the reason that the AAMS is seeking closer ties with its Spanish counterpart and perhaps a pooling of the Italian and Spanish player potential (see previous reports).

Ring games suffered most in the current assessment, with revenues declining 41% to Euro 14.2 million. Tournament revenues fared significantly better, but were still reducd by 5.1% to Euro 9.1 million and exacerbated a 21% drop during July and August as a result of the quiet season and competition from other poker products launched in Italy.

Pokerstars continues to lead the field in Italy, and appears to have increased its market share in ring games to around 32.2% - a rise of over 5% from June - and to 44% in tournament action.

The performance of rival People Player Network owned by Microgame would have disappointed its investors, with cash game revenues falling 17.8% or just over 2% from July and by 23.5% compared to August last year, and tournament revenues down 12.2% on July and 17.8% down compared with August last year.

The Italian version of Playtech's iPoker Network grew its cash game market share to around 15.8 percent, whilst it held 13.2% of tournament market share, an gain of just under 2 percent.

Lottomatica holds 12.8% of cash game market share and 11.3% in tournament action.

Smaller, mainly single digit shares in the market are held by other companies including Gioco Digitale, SNAI, Sisal, La Multipla and the recently sold-off Ongame network (see previous reports) The latter's position will undoubtedly change with the new ownership and player migration that will probably follow this development.

Related News Tags: Playtech, Pokerstars, Spain, Italy