TLDR Italy’s Customs and Monopolies Agency (ADM) confirmed gambling bonuses remain legal but bonus advertising language is restricted. The guidance applies under the 2019 Dignity Decree, which bans most gambling promotion. Operators can describe bonuses factually but cannot use language meant to encourage betting. Italy now requires gambling companies to operate through a single master domain since November 2025. A full review of advertising rules is expected after Italy’s land-based gambling overhaul finishes by the end of 2026.
Italy’s gambling regulator has told licensed operators that bonuses are still allowed, but the way companies talk about them matters a lot. The Customs and Monopolies Agency, known as ADM, issued the clarification this week.
The guidance follows months of questions from operators and complaints from consumer groups. Many wanted to know exactly where the line sits between explaining an offer and promoting one.
What the New Guidance Says
ADM said a bonus itself is not against the law. The problem comes when companies describe it using language built to attract attention or excitement.
Operators can tell customers a bonus exists and explain how it works. They must use plain, factual wording only.
Any phrasing designed to spark interest, create urgency, or push someone toward betting is against the rules. ADM said this is not a new policy, just a clearer explanation of existing law.
The agency also said it cannot change or soften the rules on its own. Those decisions rest with Italy’s communications regulator, AGCOM, and the Dignity Decree passed back in 2019.
That law created one of the strictest gambling advertising bans in Europe. It blocked gambling ads across television, print, digital platforms, and sports sponsorships.
A Bigger Shift in How Italy Oversees Operators
This clarification lands during a wider regulatory change in Italy. The country