ADM orders blocking of 190 gambling websites across Italy by August 20

Italy’s Customs and Monopolies Agency, Agenzia delle Dogane e dei Monopoli (ADM), is stepping up administrative controls over unauthorised online gambling activity with a further blocking measure covering 190 gambling websites. Internet connectivity providers have been instructed to implement the required restrictions and redirect affected domains to the regulator’s designated notice page by 20 August 2026.

The measure forms part of Italy’s established administrative framework for restricting access to gambling services that are offered or promoted through channels that do not comply with applicable national requirements. ADM maintains a dedicated register of websites subject to blocking and updates the list as new measures are adopted.

ADM expands Italy’s online gambling controls

The latest action adds another group of domains to the wider system used by ADM to limit access to gambling websites that fall within the regulator’s blocking framework. The measure identified in the supplied material was registered on 5 August 2026 and sets 20 August as the deadline for internet connectivity providers to complete the required technical intervention.

The approach is administrative in nature. It does not represent a judicial finding against every entity associated with a listed domain. Instead, ADM exercises statutory powers allowing it to instruct connectivity providers to restrict access where online gambling services or related promotional activities are considered by the authority to be operating outside the applicable regulatory framework.

This distinction is important when describing the measure. A website appearing on an ADM blocking list should be presented as a domain subject to an administrative blocking order rather than as proof of criminal conduct or wrongdoing by a particular individual or company.

ADM’s official information confirms that its blocking system is designed to counter unlawful or unauthorised online gambling activity and is based on Article 102 of Decree-Law No. 104 of 14 August 2020, as converted by Law No. 126 of 13 October 2020.

The latest blocking measure

According to the details supplied for the latest measure, ADM’s gambling controls function issued the order and Luca Turchi is identified as the responsible manager. ADM’s own organisational information confirms that Turchi is associated with the agency’s Ufficio Controlli giochi within the Direzione Giochi.

The measure adds to the existing list published by ADM on 10 July 2026. The agency’s public website currently identifies the July measure as a blocking provision for unauthorised gaming websites and confirms that the list is maintained as an operational reference for connectivity providers.

The 190-domain figure therefore represents an additional enforcement action within a broader and continuing regulatory process rather than an isolated intervention.

For operators, affiliates and technology companies active in the Italian market, the development highlights the importance of maintaining clear evidence of regulatory status and ensuring that websites, domains and promotional channels are aligned with the requirements applicable to Italy.

Legal framework behind website blocking

The legal foundation for the system is Article 102 of Decree-Law No. 104 of 14 August 2020, subsequently converted into Law No. 126 of 13 October 2020.

The provision gives ADM authority to order internet connectivity providers and certain telecommunications or telematic service providers to remove initiatives involving products or services offered or advertised in ways that do not comply with the rules governing the relevant sectors.

The provision is particularly significant because it places a practical responsibility on connectivity providers. ADM does not necessarily need to pursue a separate court process before a blocking instruction can be implemented under this administrative mechanism.

Article 102 also establishes an important notification principle. Publication of the relevant orders and measures on ADM’s institutional website has legal notification effects. Consequently, providers are expected to monitor the regulator’s published information rather than relying exclusively on individually delivered notices.

This mechanism allows the blocking system to operate at scale and enables ADM to update the relevant domain lists as new measures take effect.

New technical redirection system

The technical implementation of the Italian blocking regime has also changed during 2026.

ADM states that from April 2026 the redirection mechanism for blocked gambling websites was updated. The regulator introduced an HTTPS destination to replace the previous practice of redirecting users towards a static IP address.

The designated destination is intended to provide a consistent landing page for users attempting to access a blocked domain. The page informs visitors that access has been restricted under the applicable ADM measure.

ADM has also indicated that the transition period involved technical considerations and that both redirection methods could remain operational temporarily while providers adapted to the revised system.

For internet service providers, this means that compliance is not limited to identifying domains. Providers must also implement the prescribed technical configuration correctly and ensure that blocked addresses are redirected in accordance with the regulator’s instructions.

What the measure means for connectivity providers

The immediate compliance obligation falls on connectivity providers rather than on the operators behind the domains.

Providers serving internet users in Italy must consult ADM’s consolidated list and implement the relevant restrictions within the applicable timeframe. The requirement is therefore operational as well as regulatory, involving domain filtering and the correct redirection of affected traffic.

The continuing publication of consolidated lists also means that providers need processes capable of monitoring regulatory updates. A domain that is not included in one version of the list may subsequently become subject to a new order.

This creates an ongoing compliance responsibility rather than a one-time technical exercise.

Implications for operators and gambling businesses

The latest action also carries broader significance for businesses seeking to participate in Italy’s regulated online gambling market.

Companies providing gambling services to Italian consumers must consider not only their core licensing arrangements but also the domains, brands, advertising channels and technical infrastructure used to reach customers.

The blocking framework demonstrates how regulatory enforcement can affect access to digital services at the network level. A website can become inaccessible to users in Italy even where the technical infrastructure supporting the service is located outside the country.

Businesses therefore have an interest in regularly reviewing their Italian market arrangements and ensuring that regulatory information is accurate and up to date.

At the same time, the existence of a blocking order should not automatically be interpreted as a definitive statement about the legal status of every person or business connected with a particular domain. The appropriate legal characterisation is that ADM has placed the relevant website within its administrative blocking framework.

Why the 20 August deadline matters

The 20 August deadline gives connectivity providers a defined period to implement the latest blocking requirements.

For the affected infrastructure, the date is significant because the regulator expects the required restrictions and redirects to be operational by that point. Providers therefore need to compare their technical configurations against ADM’s consolidated information and verify that the relevant domains are handled correctly.

The deadline also illustrates the increasingly structured nature of Italy’s digital gambling enforcement system. Rather than relying exclusively on individual interventions, ADM is using published lists, standardised procedures and technical redirection requirements to support the administration of the blocking regime.

Wider regulatory significance

Italy’s approach reflects a broader effort to protect the regulated gambling market by controlling access to services that are not operating through the channels recognised by the national framework.

For consumers, the blocking system provides a regulatory signal when a website is redirected to ADM’s notice page. For licensed businesses, it reinforces the importance of operating through compliant channels and maintaining transparent regulatory arrangements.

For technology and connectivity providers, the process demonstrates how regulatory requirements increasingly extend into the technical architecture of online services.

The latest 190-domain measure should therefore be viewed within this wider regulatory context. It is another stage in an established enforcement mechanism that combines legal authority with technical implementation.

Conclusion

ADM’s latest action against 190 gambling websites underlines the continuing importance Italy places on controlling access to online gambling services that fall outside its regulatory framework. The 20 August 2026 deadline places a clear operational obligation on connectivity providers while the use of an updated HTTPS redirection mechanism reflects the technical evolution of the system.

The legal basis remains Article 102 of Decree-Law No. 104 of 2020 as converted into Law No. 126 of 2020. Its notification mechanism and administrative structure allow ADM to maintain and expand its blocking lists without requiring each individual restriction to follow a separate judicial process.

For businesses operating in or targeting the Italian gambling market, the development reinforces a central compliance principle: regulatory status must be considered alongside the digital infrastructure used to deliver services. Domain management, advertising activity, technical access and market authorisation can all become relevant when regulators assess whether online gambling activity complies with national requirements.

The latest measure also demonstrates why regulatory reporting should distinguish carefully between an administrative blocking decision and a judicial determination of wrongdoing. The legally safer description is that the listed websites are subject to ADM’s blocking framework. As Italy continues to refine its digital enforcement mechanisms, that distinction will remain important for accurate reporting, responsible compliance and clear communication across the gambling sector.

FAQs

Why is ADM blocking gambling websites in Italy?
ADM uses an administrative blocking framework to restrict access to websites that it determines fall within the scope of Italy’s rules concerning unauthorised gambling activity.

How many gambling websites are covered by the latest measure?
The latest measure described in the supplied material covers 190 additional gambling websites subject to the blocking process.

When must internet providers implement the latest measure?
The deadline identified in the measure is 20 August 2026. Connectivity providers are expected to complete the required technical restrictions by that date.

What is ADM?
ADM is the Agenzia delle Dogane e dei Monopoli, Italy’s Customs and Monopolies Agency. Among its responsibilities is the regulation and control of various gambling activities in Italy.

What law allows ADM to block gambling websites?
The blocking framework is based on Article 102 of Decree-Law No. 104 of 14 August 2020, which was converted into Law No. 126 of 13 October 2020.

Does a blocking order automatically mean a company committed a crime?
No. A website being placed under an administrative blocking measure should not by itself be presented as a judicial finding of criminal conduct by a company or individual.

Who is responsible for implementing the website blocks?
The immediate technical obligation falls on internet connectivity providers and other providers covered by the applicable ADM orders.

How are blocked websites redirected?
ADM has introduced an HTTPS-based redirection destination for blocked gambling websites. The system directs users towards a regulator-controlled notice page.

Does ADM regularly update its list of blocked websites?
Yes. ADM maintains a dedicated online section containing information and lists concerning websites subject to its gambling blocking measures.

What should gambling businesses operating in Italy do?
Businesses should review their regulatory status, domains, marketing channels and technical arrangements to ensure that their activities comply with the requirements applicable to the Italian market.