In Italy, gambling has long since reached the level of a national passion. Whether in bars, at terminals, in betting shops, or online, millions of Italians regularly spend money on bets, slots, or lotteries. The sums involved are almost unbelievable. According to recent reports, more than 150 billion euros are wagered annually. A large portion of this disappears into slot machines and online casinos, while the winnings end up with only a few, and not infrequently with the wrong people.
“If the Mafia in Italy puts one euro into gambling, it makes eight to nine euros in profit,” according to a report by the anti-Mafia organization Libera.
This statement illustrates how closely the underworld is linked to the gambling industry. Organized crime has long recognized that gambling is a lucrative and low-risk business. Unlike drug trafficking or extortion, the money here appears clean. By investing in legal gambling halls, betting shops, and online platforms, these clans manage to launder enormous sums while simultaneously generating official profits.
Gambling in Italy: billions in losses and growing addiction
According to recent data, around 18 million Italians participated in gambling in 2024. That's almost a third of the adult population. Gross gaming revenue, meaning what is paid out to players after winnings, amounted to approximately 22,5 billion euros. For many people, gambling is no longer a pastime, but a habit or an attempt to escape financial worries. But the system is drawing them ever deeper into its clutches.
In many regions, especially in the south, gambling arcades are on every corner. Slot machines are found in bars, and small betting shops are in every neighborhood. It has become part of everyday life, as commonplace as an espresso. But behind this normality lies a gigantic industry that thrives on losses and relies on addiction.
While the state collects billions in taxes, serious social problems arise. Families fall into debt, people succumb to gambling addiction, and poverty is passed on. Aid organizations report cases of people who throw their entire income into slot machines and borrow money from relatives to continue gambling. The losers are many, the winners few.
“Gambling is like an invisible tax on hope,” writes an Italian journalist in a commentary on the gambling boom.
Mafia and gambling in Italy: a legal business with an illegal background
The connection between the Mafia and gambling is not new, but it has changed. Previously, the clans operated illegal gambling dens; today, they invest in legitimate businesses. Through front men, shareholdings, and shell companies, they own stakes in licensed betting providers or are involved behind the scenes in gambling arcades. The money flowing through slot machines or online platforms is ideal for concealing other income.
Anti-mafia authorities have launched numerous investigations in recent years. In 2024 alone, 147 clans active in the gambling industry were identified. Their influence is particularly strong in regions such as Calabria, Naples, and Sicily, where the 'Ndrangheta and Camorra operate their networks. They use gambling not only for money laundering but also to gain control over local economies and politics.
Despite stricter laws, the problem persists. The lines between legal and illegal money are blurring. Even stricter controls are of little help if the system itself is based on high turnover and offers little transparency.
A country gripped by the thrill of the game
Italy is emblematic of a dilemma facing modern societies. On the one hand, gambling is a major economic factor; on the other, it poses a social and moral challenge. Billions flow into slot machines, online betting, and licenses every year, but also into shady channels. The Mafia no longer needs to operate covertly; it openly profits from a socially accepted market. As long as gambling is trivialized and profit remains prioritized over people's well-being, little will change. The state profits, the clans profit, and the gamblers lose out.
