The Best Betting Sites in Italy for 2023
Whether you want to bet on the latest Serie A fixtures, the gruelling Giro d’Italia or one of the many other sporting events that take place in Italy, this page contains everything you need to know.
We provide an updated list of the top licensed betting sites in Italy, outline why you should only join sites with an AAMS license, explain how to deposit and withdraw at Italian betting sites, and much more.
Best Betting Sites in Italy – December 2023
22Bet Sports
Payment Options
Average Payout Speed
0 – 24 HoursCurrencies
- EUR
- USD
- AED
- Available in over 30 languages
- Over 1000 events offered every day
- Extensive list of banking methods
- 24/7 customer service support
- Cryptocurrency accepted
- Lack of live streaming
1xbet Sports
Payment Options
Average Payout Speed
0 – 24 HoursCurrencies
- AUD
- AZN
- BDT
- Over 1000 daily sports events
- Dedicated smartphone apps
- Live streaming on site
- Cashier supports many currencies
- Long list of payment methods
- Design is convoluted and outdated
Why Italian Betting Sites Are Safe
Online betting in Italy has always been tightly regulated. How the country approached the surge in online betting popularity is quite impressive. This started with the Decree on Liberalization (Article 38) of 2007 that made all forms of online gambling legal. This provided a clean slate to begin the licensing and regulation process. It took all the way until March 2010 for the first of 200 gambling licenses to be issued.
The body responsible for licensing betting sites in Italy is the Agenzia Dogane e Monopolio di Stato (AAMS). You can learn more about their responsibilities by visiting their website at aams.gov.it. You’ll notice this website is available in both English and Italian and has all the rules and regulations spelled out. It even has a directory that lists all Italian licensed betting sites.
- Fully licensed and certified by independent regulators.
- Approved for secure financial transactions and data protection.
- Reputation for dealing with complaints quickly and fairly.
The AAMS only gives licenses to reputable companies. Applicants must have a positive track record before they could apply.
These applicants also had to be EU resident companies, had to have previously met turnover requirements, had to use high functioning software, run responsible gambling programs and much more. The companies also had to pay a €350,000 deposit each, which is used to regulate and make sure their betting sites continue to act fairly and to make sure they remain financially secure.
The final thing Italy got right was policies that ensured a stable gambling market for a long time to come. This is differs from France which charged tax that was so excessive it was near impossible for sites to have much profit left. Spain is taking a similar stance as France and is even taxing both the operator and the player at large rates.
Italy only taxes the operator; punters don’t pay tax on winnings. The tax structure on operators is also fair. It leaves them plenty of room to compete while being both attractive to players and profitable for their shareholders.
In short, everything is well set up if you enjoy sports betting in Italy.
Deposit Options Available at Italian Betting Sites
Italy’s regulated online betting industry means there are many ways to fund your account safely and securely. Some of the most common payment methods you will see listed in the cashier include:
Credit Cards
Credit Cards
Every online bookmaker in Italy accepts credit cards as a form of payment. You can deposit and withdraw quickly and safely via credit cards issued by the likes of CartaSì, Mastercard and Visa.
Besides the many security features and high acceptance rates, other benefits of using credit cards to deposit at betting sites in Italy include speed of deposits (instant in most cases) and zero transaction fees.
E-Wallets
E-Wallets
Electronic wallets, or e-wallets as they are more commonly known, are also widely accepted at online betting sites in Italy. Popular online payment services include Skrill, Neteller and PayPal.
The main benefit of using e-wallets at betting sites is that they act as a financial intermediary between the bookmaker and your bank account. You simply enter your email address and the amount you wish to deposit.
Prepaid Cards
Prepaid Cards
No bank account? Don’t worry, the best betting sites in Italy accept prepaid cards. Postepay is a reloadable prepaid card service that launched in 2003 and quickly established itself as one of the most widely used online payment methods in Italy.
You can add funds to your card at post offices around the country, and there is also an advanced version known as Evolution, which also acts as a bank account.
Cryptocurrencies
Cryptocurrencies
Although Italy has been on the slower side to accept cryptocurrencies as an alternative to the euro and other fiat currencies, it’s still easy to find a Bitcoin (BTC) betting site.
An increasing number of Italians have also been funding their betting accounts via other cryptocurrencies such Ethereum (ETH), Litecoin (LTC) and Dash (DRK). Crypto payments are ideal if you seek a layer of anonymity when betting online.
Betting on Italian Football
Football is by far the most popular sport for betting online in Italy.
While Brazil has won more World Cups than any other nation (five), Italy and Germany are both joint-second on the table with four victories each. Italian football fans were left bitterly disappointed after the team narrowly failed to qualify for Russia 2018. Italy also became European champions at home in 1968 and have finished runners-up in 2000 and 2012.
Italian football coverage also includes Serie B, Berlusconi Trophy, Coppa Italia, Lega Pro, Super Cup and Trofeo TIM.
No matter which league you’re looking at, Italian betting sites have a great variety of markets. You can bet on the match winner or the draw, bet over and under goals or corners, and much more.
Other Popular Sports for Betting in Italy
Want to bet on something other than football? Our recommended bookmakers offer everything from rugby and basketball to volleyball and esports. Let’s take a closer look at each of these sports:
Rugby Betting
Rugby Betting
Also known as “oval ball” within Italy, rugby union is another very popular sport in the country. The national team is known as the Azzurri and they compete in the Six Nations and Rugby World Cup as a tier one nation.
Two Italian teams (Treviso and Zebre) compete in Pro14, a league that includes sides from Ireland, Scotland, South Africa and Wales. The Top10 is the main national club competition, and it always presents lots of rugby union betting opportunities with sides like Calvisano and Petrarca batting for the title.
Basketball Betting
Basketball Betting
Italy is a dominant force in basketball. The men’s national basketball team won gold at Eurobasket 1983 and 1999, and scooped silver at the Olympics in 1980 and 2004. The Lega Basket Serie A (LBA) is one of the top basketball leagues in Europe, with teams like Olimpia Milano and Virtus Bologna producing some of the best players from the continent.
NBA betting enthusiasts will know the names Marco Belinelli and Danilo Gallinari, two professional basketball players who have showcased their skills in the world’s leading basketball league. The best Italian betting sites accept bets on every LBA and NBA game.
Volleyball Betting
Volleyball Betting
Despite the national team not being as dominant as it was prior to the year 2000, volleyball remains extremely popular in Italy. The country still boasts one of the top volleyball leagues in Europe and remains a threat in all the European and world competitions.
This is also another sport like tennis that is fun to bet on in-play. The best betting sites in Italy even have live streams of the match allowing you to make wagers on each serve, match, races to 5, 10, 15, and 20 and a variety of other in-play bets while watching the match live. After football, volleyball is probably the most popular for sports betting in Italy.
Cycling Betting
Cycling Betting
Boasting more World Cycling Championships than any other country, except Belgium, Italy is a powerhouse in the cycling world. The world-famous Giro d’Italia is held every May, with the long-distance race making up one of the three Grand Tours, along with the Tour de France and the Vuelta a España.
Two of the five oldest and most prestigious one-day races on the cycling calendar also take place in Italy: the Milan-San Remo, held in March, and the Giro di Lombardia, held in September or October. You can bet on Italian cyclists such as Giacomo Nizzolo and Elia Viviani at the best betting sites in Italy.
Tennis Betting
Tennis Betting
Tennis is another sport extremely popular for betting online in Italy, especially when local players like Andreas Seppi and Fabio Fognini step onto the court. The world’s best players visit Rome each year to compete in the Italian Open, a clay tennis tournament that offers millions in prize money.
Perhaps what makes tennis so exciting to follow is there is no real off-season. Even during the short break, there are plenty of exhibition matches that online bookies offer odds for. Also, with internet betting, it is possible to bet on each serve, point, set and match. You can also bet over/under total points and so much more.
Esports Betting
Esports Betting
Italy may not be one of the most competitive esports countries in the world, but more and more Italians are turning professional and representing the country in tournaments around the globe. One of the most popular esports betting events for local players is the Italian Esports Open, an event that involves some of the best players from all over the world in a unique location: the Lucca’s Esports Cathedral.
You can bet on CS:GO, FIFA, League of Legends, StarCraft, Call of Duty, and countless other games at the best esports betting sites in Italy. Many of the leading sites even offer a live streaming service, meaning you can watch all the action in HD without logging into your Twitch account.
Final Thoughts on Betting Online in Italy
In summary, betting online in Italy is a fully legal and highly regulated environment. No matter what sports or markets you’re interested in, you can find plenty of wagering opportunities at the sites recommended earlier in this article.
As they say in Italy, Si prega Scommetti con moderazione – please bet responsibly. Stay within your limits, know your means, and we wish you the best of luck betting on your favourite sports.
FAQs
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About the author
Eric Roberts
Sports Journalist
Eric has been a sports journalist for over 20 years and has travelled the world covering top sporting events for a number of publications. He also has a passion for betting and uses his in-depth knowledge of the sports world to pinpoint outstanding odds and value betting opportunities.
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