Following the case of Lazio’s shirt sponsor and the publication of the Guidelines on responsible gaming, Agcom is preparing to intervene on so-called “Infotainment” and related sponsorships. Meanwhile, new criteria for responsible gaming campaigns are now in effect: prevention is permitted, but promotion is not.
The case involving the Lazio shirt and the advertising of a gaming operator not authorized in Italy is merely the latest episode in a match that has lasted since 2018, when the Dignity Decree banned all forms of advertising for games with cash prizes. On Serie A pitches, operator brands have never entirely disappeared; they have returned in other forms. This has not occurred through the direct promotion of gaming sites, which remains prohibited, but through so-called “Infotainment.” Now, however, all of this risks disappearing or being strictly limited, following the announcement by the Communications Regulatory Authority of an imminent intervention deemed “necessary” and “urgent,” as reported by the Authority itself in point 42 of the Resolution implementing the new Guidelines on responsible gaming (200/26/Cons).
In the meantime, regarding Responsible Gaming, a new measure is also expected here in the coming days from AdM, with the publication of the long-awaited opinion from the Government Commission on responsible gaming. Despite the delay, the Commission is ready to deliver the annual policy document that will provide the themes to be adopted by licensees in their campaigns. This represents the final act that will complete the framework, at least regarding the communications envisaged by the online gaming reorganization decree.
The infotainment crux
The phenomenon has a precise name: infotainment. An operator’s brand appears alongside suffixes such as “.sport”, “.live”, or “.news” and presents itself as a sports information site. It ends up on jerseys, billboards, and event supports. It is exactly the scheme that requires a “substantive assessment” of context, frequency, visibility of the mark, and overall effect. It is not what the label says that matters, but the effect it produces on the public.
The second front is live sports, where the congestion of messages is concentrated. Examples include: “live betting provided by…” pop-ups, graphics pairing odds with logos, and pitch-side LEDs, including those inserted digitally via virtual replacement. According to the Authority, as learned by ItalianGamingNews.it, such phenomena must be “scaled back” through the Authority’s supervisory and sanctioning powers.
These topics were not included in the new policy document approved in July, but they remain under supervision. AGCOM considers it necessary to launch a revision of the 2019 Guidelines “shortly” to address these specific critical issues.
The new rules already in play
On July 29, AGCOM approved the aforementioned resolution, following a consultation involving over 35 written contributions and more than 20 hearings. The resolution establishes how licensees can conduct responsible gaming campaigns without circumventing the ban. Indeed, the law (Legislative Decree 41/2024) obliges operators to invest 0.2% of net revenues, up to 1 million euros per year, in prevention initiatives. The evident risk is that these campaigns become advertising under another name.
The principle is clear. Campaigns can discuss risks, spending limits, self-exclusion, and helplines. They cannot contain odds, bonuses, jackpots, or even indirect invitations to play.
The licensee’s logo is permitted only to identify the authorized operator and distinguish it from illegal ones. It must be small, placed in a corner, and without animations. It is not permitted if it coincides with a gaming product.
Links and QR codes may only lead to neutral protection pages: without access to the gaming account, without data profiling, and separate from the commercial site. If even one of these conditions is missing, the referral becomes prohibited advertising.
Testimonials and influencers: the dilemma of the famous face
The most delicate chapter, including for football, concerns testimonials. A study published in 2025 in the Journal of Gambling Studies states that a famous face increases risk awareness but also the intention to bet. For this reason, testimonials are admitted only with particular caution. Faces already associated with activities using the licensee’s brand, such as a former champion who is already the face of the same brand’s infotainment site, are excluded. Influencers are excluded entirely. Against tipsters, who are often linked to unauthorized operators, AGCOM aims to intervene on the platforms that profit from their accounts.
What happens now
The act enters into force the day after publication, with a limited transitional period for campaigns already under contract. Campaigns must follow the themes set annually by the Government Commission. Annual monitoring is planned, with a possible report to the Department for Information and Publishing and to ADM regarding spending, dissemination, and the effectiveness of the messages.
The most anticipated match, however, is the revision of the 2019 rules: it will be there that the fate of sponsors, LEDs, and “.sport” sites in stadiums is decided. In all likelihood, the Authority will opt to launch a further public consultation on the subject to gather the opinions of various stakeholders, bearing in mind that the issue of infotainment interests (and worries) the world of sports perhaps more than the gaming sector.
