TLDR
- Italy’s 2027 budget bill would put esports LAN gaming halls under gambling regulator ADM.
- The government projects more than €66 million ($74 million) in taxes and fees.
- The entire Italian esports sector is worth about €32 million ($35.9 million) in 2026.
- Industry group IIDEA says Italy has only about 70 LAN centres, not the 200 forecast for 2027.
- Operators would pay per-device fees, an 8% entertainment tax, and keep user logs for five years.
Italy’s government expects its new rules for esports gaming halls to raise more than €66 million ($74 million). That figure is more than double the €32 million ($35.9 million) the country’s entire esports sector is worth in 2026, according to industry estimates.
The gap is at the center of a dispute over the 2027 budget bill. The bill would place LAN gaming halls under the licensing and tax system run by Agenzia delle Dogane e dei Monopoli (ADM), Italy’s gambling regulator.
The Italian Interactive Digital Entertainment Association (IIDEA), which represents the video game industry, wants the measure removed. It says the forecasts behind the plan do not match the real size of the market.
How the Government Reached Its Numbers
A technical report attached to the bill projects that Italy will have 200 LAN gaming centres by 2027. It forecasts that number will grow to 2,300 by 2028.
IIDEA says Italy has only about 70 LAN centres today. The group also says many of them do not meet the bill’s minimum requirement of 20 gaming stations per venue.
LAN halls are places where customers pay to use networked gaming equipment. Players can game alone or in groups, and the venues often host local esports tournaments.
What the Bill Would Cost Operators
Under Article 24, operators would need ADM authorisation every two years. The fees are €200 ($224) per gaming device, €1,000 ($1,120) per venue, €2,000 ($2,240) per game and €10,000 ($11,200) per online platform.
Based on those figures, a venue with the minimum 20 stations would pay €5,000 in device and venue fees every two years. That total does not include the €2,000 charge for each game offered.
The bill also sets an annual tax base of €15,000 ($16,830) per device or station, with an 8% entertainment tax applied. That works out to €1,200 per station each year, or €24,000 for a 20-station venue.
A separate levy of up to 8% on tournament entry fees would help pay for oversight. The ADM would also set tournament rules, participation fees and prizes.
Article 25 covers the venues themselves and would ban all betting on LAN hall premises. Wagering is rarely, if ever, part of what these centres do.
For bettors, the direct effect is limited because wagering would be barred on these premises. The larger change is how far the gambling regulator’s reach would extend into a non-gambling business.
The ADM would decide the requirements for platforms, gaming centres and which games are allowed. Operators would have to keep logs of online activity on their PC terminals for at least five years.
IIDEA questioned whether the record-keeping rule fits with EU law and data protection requirements. The group raised particular concerns about storing detailed records of user activity.
In a statement on November 6, IIDEA said the costs and paperwork could stifle a sector that is still young. It warned the bill could cause irreparable damage to the industry.
The bill is now in the early stages of parliamentary examination. IIDEA has asked lawmakers to scrap the provision and says any changes must rely on realistic data and input from affected businesses.
