Italy’s Council of State clarifies Global Starnet’s €179.25m investment to EU court
Regulation3 min read
Italy’s Council of State provided the Court of Justice of the European Union with details about Global Starnet, its concession history and a €179.25m investment made between 2009 and 2010. The information followed a request from the EU court and was set out in order 8092/2026, published on 6 November 2026.
Italy's Council of State has given the Court of Justice of the European Union clarifications about Global Starnet Ltd. They cover a €179.25m investment the company made between 2009 and 2010. The clarifications are set out in order 8092/2026, which the Council of State's Sixth Section published on 6 November 2026.
The order was issued in an appeal brought by Global Starnet Ltd against the Ministry of Economy and Finance and the Customs and Monopolies Agency, seeking reversal of Lazio regional administrative court ruling 12605/2023. It follows a request for information sent by the EU court on 5 October 2026. The EU judges asked for four points to be specified: the company's nationality and registered office, its relationship with B Plus Giocolegale Ltd, the start date of the concession, and the dates of the payments for the €179.25m investment. The Council of State drew on its earlier order 5674/2026 and on submissions the parties filed on 24 and 29 October.
The judges stated that Global Starnet Ltd is a company under British law, registered under number 5738632, with its registered office in London. It also has a permanent establishment in Rome, entered in the Italian Business Register on 7 July 2006. The Council of State said Global Starnet Ltd and B Plus Giocolegale Ltd are the same company, which has changed its name several times over the years. The current name, Global Starnet, was adopted by a deed dated 16 July 2014. It was recognised in Italy by a notarial deed of 26 November 2015.
On the concession, the Council of State said it was signed on 15 July 2004 by Atlantis World Group of Companies N.V., acting as lead member of a temporary association of companies. That association was among the ten winners of a selection procedure launched by a notice of 14 April 2004. On 10 March 2006 the concession-holding association set up Atlantis World Giocolegale Ltd, an English company based in London, which took over the concession from 1 February 2007. A secondary office in Italy was established in June 2006 to carry out the concession's activities. The company later took the name B Plus Gioco Legale Ltd, as shown in the additional deed on VLTs dated 23 March 2010, before becoming Global Starnet Ltd.
The fourth clarification concerns the overall investment of €179.25m. According to the Council of State, the amount was settled through two separate payments of 89.647.500 euro each. Those payments were made on 28 October 2009 and 29 November 2010 respectively.
The clarifications were formalised after a chamber session on 5 November 2026, chaired by Giancarlo Montedoro, with councillor Giordano Lamberti as rapporteur. The Council of State ordered the order to be sent to the EU court together with the parties' submissions and documents filed on 24 and 29 October 2026, for the preliminary reference proceedings.