The Italian gaming Regulatory Authority (Agenzia delle Dogane e dei Monopoli ADM) has just launched a public tender for the award of up to 120 licenses for the setting-up and operation of online gaming platforms for the provision of the following games: 

(i)     fixed odds and pool betting on sports, including horse races, and non-sports events, also simulated

(ii)     skill games with cash prizes (excluding lottery and other related games), including poker and other card games, and casino games

(iii)     fixed odds betting with interaction between players

(iv)    bingo

The duration of the licenses is set until December 31, 2022.

The deadline for the submission of the applications is March 19, 2018, 15:00 PM CET.

The applicant must be a legal corporation having its registered office in the European Economic Area. Furthermore, the applicant shall be:

1.    a gaming operator which (i) performs its activity in the European Economic Area pursuant to a gaming licence/other valid title issued by the competent authority, and (ii) provides to the public at least one of the games regulated by ADM, with an overall gaming turnover in the last two years of at least EUR 1,500,000; or

2.    a gaming operator performing its activity in the European Economic Area with an overall turnover in the last two years lower than EUR 1,500,000 or an entity operating in a field different from the gaming or performing its activity outside the European Economic Area, provided that such entity submits to ADM: 

•    an independent appraisal attesting that it holds, also through its subsidiaries or parent company, all the required technical and infrastructure capacity; and

•    a two-year first demand bank guarantee for an amount of EUR 1,500,000. 

The applicant must have a dedicated technical infrastructure compliant with all the technical requirements set forth by the ADM. Such technical infrastructure must be located in the European Economic Area.

Furthermore, the shareholders and the members of the corporate bodies of the applicant (eg, sole Director, members of the Board of Directors) and its technical director (if any) shall comply with the personal (honorability) and professional requirements set forth under the Italian Public Procurement Code.  

Each applicant must provide ADM with a one-year first-demand guarantee – either in cash, national bond or through bank or insurance surety – for an amount of EUR 100,000.

All the applications will be examined in chronological order of receipt and the licenses will be awarded upon successful verification of the fulfillment by the applicant of all the administrative, financial and technical requirements.  

A one-time license fee of EUR 200,000 must be paid by each applicant at the time of the formal awarding of the license.

Additional information will be available upon publication by ADM of the full set of documents pertaining to the tender, including complete Rules for Tender and relevant administrative, technical, financial and procedural detailed information.