In the gaming sector, there are two segments in sharp decline. On the one hand that of electronic sports, on the other that of remote gambling. Two similar worlds, close yet very distant. Let’s find out why together.
On the one hand there is a collection which, for the online segment alone, reaches 73 billion euros. On the other hand, the turnover for Italy is 47 million. Two enormous numbers, of course, yet incredibly distant.
The first is that relating to Italian online casinos, i.e. the remote gaming segment composed of sites with regular license issued by the ADM. This sector involves an average of 3 million active users per month, who assiduously frequent the sections dedicated to the online casinos of the main Italian operators such as 888Casino, Sisal, Snai and the platforms of the Lottomatica group.
The other is that of eSports, which on a global level are worth 1 billion and 624 million euros, with an average annual growth estimated at over 8 percentage points, which will therefore allow the sector to reach a market volume of over 2 billion and $235 million by 2027, engaging 720 million users. These are the numbers released by research “Esports in Italy and in the world”conducted by Oies, the Italian Esports Observatory, together with YouGov, which underlines that in Italy electronic games enthusiasts make up 4%, or 2.2 million people.
A figure incredibly similar to that of online casinos, yet in the end the economic performance of the two sectors is very different. The cause, as you read here, it’s all in the legislation, since eSports is also a sector without rules. In 2022 the European Parliament had considered them as an integral part of culture and the media, without, however, this step translating into the creation of a regulatory framework for the supply chain, which to date lacks clear rules. In fact, experts complain about the absence of adequate regulation that can take into consideration the figure of professional players, education in the gaming sector, and tax measures that can support the development of the sector. An important gap, which is the basis of the lack of development of a segment which can instead be a growth driver for the entire Italian gaming sector.
“We are in the grip of regulatory nothingness – Alessio Cicolari, CEO of AK Group, recently explained – while abroad you can do everything that is not prohibited, in Italy you can only do what is explicitly authorized. Parliament’s time is really too long, I hope that someone can find a way to resolve the current situation, where we risk very high fines”. A void of laws and rules that does nothing but slow down the development of the eSports supply chain. A void that must be resolved quickly and filled with laws that can bring Italy up to speed with other countries in the world.