Romanian MEP Victor Negrescu has proposed a coordinated EU tax on online gambling and betting companies, with revenue directed to education and youth policies. He estimated the levy could raise €2bn to €4bn annually and up to €28bn over the EU’s long-term budget; more than 20 MEPs co-signed the amendment.
The proposed EU levy could tax online gambling companies and direct revenue to education and youth policies.
The day’s most important stories, free. One email a day.
The EGBA warned that a proposed EU-wide online gambling levy could benefit unlicensed operators and reduce Member State tax income. The European Parliament’s Budget Committee included the idea in its opinion on the 2028–2034 budget, but the EGBA said the committee vote was not a formal proposal or decision.
The European Parliament's Budget Committee included an EU-wide online gambling tax in its opinion on the 2028–2034 budget framework, according to the report. The EGBA said the vote was exploratory and argued that a levy could benefit illegal operators and reduce member states' tax revenues. The European Parliament was scheduled to vote on the opinion later in April, followed by budget negotiations.
A proposal discussed in Brussels would tax online betting and gaming operators’ profits, with revenue intended for EU education and youth policies, according to the report. It would require unanimous backing from all 27 member states; the proposal’s taxable base and relationship with national taxes remain unresolved.
Reportedly, Brazilian federal deputy Ana Paula Lima introduced Bill 4.761/2026 to fund public mental health services through a levy on authorised fixed-odds betting operators. The proposed monthly charge would start at 2% of operator revenue, with adjustments permitted between 1% and 6%. Proceeds would fund prevention, diagnosis, treatment and rehabilitation for gambling disorders.
A bill under discussion in the Senate’s Culture Commission proposes a contribution to the FIGC equal to 2% of stakes on football-related sports bets placed in Italy, from 1 January 2027. Senator Marcheschi said the levy would provide the main part of an estimated €245m in annual funding; at least half would support youth development and 30% would fund gambling-harm prevention and social projects.