10.8% Rise In Italian Gambling

The value of bets in Italy rose 10.8 percent in the first six months of the year to Euros 26.266 billion, the state gaming regulator AAMS reported this week.

Total wagers in June, including slot machines, scratchcards, sports betting and lotteries, were Euros 4.114 billion, (June 2008: Euros 3.968 billion)

Scratchcard wagers in June this year amounted to Euros 736 million; the Lotto garnered Euros 492 million; sports betting totalled Euros 197 million and online poker pulled in Euros 189 million.

Reuters reports that Italian gaming has remained broadly resilient in the economic downturn with Lottomatica SpA posting higher first-quarter results year on year. Two thirds of the rise Lottomatica expects in full-year earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation will come from its Italian activities, it has predicted. Lottomatica holds the concessions for Italy's Lotto game and Gratta & Vinci scratch cards and is also active in sportsbetting and online poker.

Rival SNAI SpA has sports betting operations and says it runs Italy's largest horserace betting network.

AAMS's table of Italian gambling for June 2009 (millions of Euros):
Slot machines           1,994
Scratch cards             736
Lotto                          492
Sports betting             197
Horserace betting       164
Superenalotto             233
Online poker               189
Bingo                         109

Total                       4,114 (May 2009: 4,342) June 2008: 3,968

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