ADM issues responsible communication guidance to online gambling licensees in Italy

Italy's ADM has sent online gambling licensees the 2026 programme document for information campaigns and responsible communication initiatives. The document was prepared by a government commission set up at the Department for Information and Publishing of the Presidency of the Council of Ministers.

The document implements the gaming sector reorganisation decree, which requires online operators to allocate 0.2% of net revenue each year, up to a maximum of €1m annually, to educational projects and awareness campaigns. It sets rules on both content and distribution channels.

All initiatives financed by licensees must focus on four areas. On financial management and economic risk, messages must state clearly and verifiably that gambling is never an investment or a source of income, and slogans or visual elements linked to luck or easy winnings are prohibited. On gambling addiction, campaigns must address both players and families to detect signs of disorder early, moving beyond a narrative based only on individual responsibility. On protection and self-help measures, the document requires information on tools such as deposit limits, self-limitation and self-exclusion, and states that these measures reduce risk but do not eliminate the possibility of harm. On the risks of illegal gambling and sanctions, it requires detailed information on the dangers of unauthorised platforms and an express reference to the sanctions framework, which provides for significant criminal consequences also for users.

On media planning, generalist channels are to be preferred: national and local television, radio and print must be the primary channel to ensure the widest plurality and transparency of the message. Spending on paid web sponsorships may not exceed 35% of the total budget of each campaign, a measure intended to protect vulnerable people from compulsive exposure caused by profiling algorithms. The investment obligation does not derogate from the absolute advertising ban set by the Dignity Decree, and campaigns must comply with the AGCOM resolution to avoid any form of direct or indirect promotion.

Licensees must report annually to ADM and to the Department for Information and Publishing not only the costs incurred but also the actual impact of the messages, using detailed metrics including impressions, gross and net contacts and conversion rates. The document applies for the current year, 2026, and will form the basis of guidance for the three-year period 2025-2027. ADM's online gaming and betting office is to issue a directive in the coming days with operational and practical instructions for submitting and approving projects.