Ep 650: Europe's Regulatory Reset – Italy's Tough New Fees and Romania's Age Debate

This episode of iGaming Daily explores why Europe is preparing to introduce stricter gambling regulations in 2025. Host Charlie Horner is joined by Ted Menmuir, SBC Media’s Editor-at-Large, and iGaming Expert's Editor, Joe Streeter, to unpack major regulatory shifts across two key markets: Italy and Romania.

The team first examines Italy’s overhaul of its online gambling industry, driven by Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni’s government. Central to the reform is a significantly higher entry barrier, with a new nine-year concession priced at €7 million, resulting in fewer available licences. Italy aims to streamline the sector, strengthen oversight, phase out the fragmented skins model, and position itself as Europe’s most secure and tightly regulated market. The episode also touches on new compliance requirements, including mandatory digital ID verification for player account registration.

Attention then shifts to Romania, where the Liberal Party is pushing to increase the legal gambling age from 18 to 21. The guests debate whether this measure meaningfully enhances player protection, especially given the stark contrast between Romania’s relatively volatile regulatory landscape and Italy’s push for structured control.

This episode is supported by Optimove, the creator of positionless marketing and the leading player engagement platform.

Host: Charlie Horner
Guests: Ted Menmuir & Joe Streeter
Producer: James Ross
Editor: James Ross

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