Arrests made in alleged illegal gambling operation with €25 million turnover

Three people in Italy have been arrested over alleged illegal gambling, with local media reporting that it generated more than €25 million in illegal revenue.

According to a daily Naples newspaper, the ‘millionaire turnover’ allegedly occurred from 2019 to 2022 and relates to illegal totems.

Another Italian publisher, Il Sole 24, states other allegations too, like money laundering and the fraudulent transfer of assets. The investigation is being led by the District Anti-Mafia Directorate of Salerno and the Investigative Unit of the Carabinieri in Salerno, with this having been described as a wide-ranging operation.

Alongside the arrests, a seizure of assets was also ordered, with these believed to be valued at no less than €4 million and included properties, land, luxury cars, over €1.5 million in cash, and commercial premises.

In Italy, the Direzione Investigativa Antimafia (DIA) works across multiple sectors, including identifying sectors at risk of money laundering.

Regulators across Europe come together against illegal gambling

This comes just a week after regulators across Europe called for stronger measures against illegal gambling. A joint institutional statement was issued by regulators of Austria, France, Germany, Great Britain, Portugal, Spain, and Italy, with all showing a real focus on this issue.

Within the announcement, it explained how the renewed and united commitment by the multiple jurisdictions aimed to strengthen the integrity of the regulated gambling sector and to protect citizens from the risks posed by illegal gambling activities.

“The fight against illegal online gambling is one of the paramount tasks facing regulated jurisdictions. Its borderless nature and the speed of technological innovation make it easier for illegal operators to evade regulatory oversight,” the press release read.

All of the countries involved expressed a strong commitment to consumer protection, market integrity, and compliance with national and international regulations and agreed to share information on illegal operators amongst them.

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