SAPAR president calls for broader tax burden across Italy’s gambling market
Regulation1 min read
SAPAR president Sergio D’Angelo called for tax measures to be spread across Italy’s gambling market at a Rome summit on 3 November 2026. He cited about €193bn in total wagers and around €30bn for amusement machines, saying the segment generated more than half of the state’s €11bn in gambling revenue. D’Angelo argued that a one-percentage-point tax increase equalled 10% of operators’ available revenue.
Sergio D’Angelo, president of SAPAR, spoke at the SiGMA Central Europe Summit in Rome. He asked that any tax measures be spread across the whole gambling market rather than placing further burdens on a single segment. D’Angelo said attention returns to amusement machines whenever the state needs to raise money.
D’Angelo cited about €193bn in total wagers and about €30bn attributed to the amusement machine segment. According to the data he cited, the segment would contribute more than half of the €11bn in revenue the state derives from public gambling.
D’Angelo disputed the idea that a tax increase of one percentage point can be considered marginal. He said that 1% corresponds to 10% of the "cassetto", meaning the resources operators have available. In his view, the real effect of a tax rise should be measured against those remaining resources and not only against total wagers.
In D’Angelo’s analysis, taking such a share from company margins would undermine the economic sustainability of many businesses, with possible effects on employment. He said small businesses are particularly affected because they have less capacity to absorb new costs.