Italian Regulated Poker Keeps on Falling
Key Takeaways
  • The latest market statistics released by Italian regulator AAMS highlight the decline of poker in the regulated and segregated national market.
  • January 2014 gross wagers in poker cash games were €12.2bn, 20% lower than January 2013 and 50% lower than January 2012.
  • Tournament revenues declined 26% compared with last year.

The latest market statistics released by Italian regulator AAMS highlight the decline of poker in the regulated and segregated national market.

January 2014 gross wagers in poker cash games were €12.2bn, 20% lower than January 2013 and 50% lower than January 2012. Tournament revenues declined 26% compared with last year.

AAMS lists the revenues generated by each licensed network. In first place is PokerStars Italy, followed by Lottamatica and then bwin.party.

The revenue figures show that PokerStars generates 52.8% of all cash game revenues, which compares well with its 54% cash game traffic share—data from PokerScout that can be seen in the pokerfuse PRO Directory entry for Italy. Tournament revenues comprise just 16% of the total.

In Spain, a very similar market, PokerStars has a 72% market share of cash game traffic. The difference may be down to the fact that the Italian market contains a number of well known local operators, with established brands. In Spain the major gambling company, Codere, never managed to get much traction with its forays into online poker.