Genoa prosecutors have requested a trial for seven people accused of involvement in an illegal betting and usury operation. Three alleged leaders have already been convicted: Roberto Sechi received six years and four months, Giovanni Bizzarro eight years and Fabio Praticò three years.
The case concerns alleged illegal sports betting and lending, with potential enforcement implications for operators in Italy.
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The Genoa Court of Appeal revised a first-instance ruling in a case arising from a 2024 investigation into alleged illegal betting, usury and criminal association. In its 13 July 2026 decision, it reduced the sentences of two defendants; for a third, it reclassified the offence and set a six-month arrest sentence, revoking previously imposed additional penalties. The investigation concerned an alleged sports betting operation in Genoa.
Investigators described an alleged illegal betting network during the Endgame trial in Italy, according to reporting on the hearing. They said bets were collected online through cloned websites and at slot venues in the Prato area, which they alleged were controlled by some defendants. The investigation led to 12 precautionary measures and the seizure of assets and businesses worth about €2m in 2024.
The Bologna provincial police chief ordered a seven-day suspension of all authorisations for a public venue on Via Mascarella on 27 May, according to the report. Police said an inspection found a poker table with a dealer and patrons, as well as other prohibited gambling tables; the suspension runs from notification of the order.
Regulators in the UK, Austria, France, Germany, Italy, Portugal and Spain said they will cooperate against illegal online gambling. Their stated measures include sharing information about unauthorised operators, urging digital platforms to strengthen advertising controls and exchanging enforcement practices. The UK Gambling Commission's statement also cited recent penalties in the UK and Spain.
It was reported that Naples anti-mafia prosecutors and financial police investigated an alleged network involving betting agencies, front companies and money laundering. Investigators described the use of gambling businesses to conceal and reinvest illicit proceeds.