Italy Online Gambling Market Booming

If you thought Italy's online gaming market was booming last year you weren't mistaken - it grew by 28% in 2010, according to data published this week by Italian regulator AAMS.

Tournament poker was responsible for most of the growth in skill gaming, accounting for 65% of total online gambling turnover in Italy last year. Turnover of skill games rose by 34% in 2010 to 3.15 billion euros, up from the mark of 2.35 billion euros recorded the previous year.

Fixed odds sports betting rose by 11% to a total mark of 1.35 billion euros, while bingo revenues reached 146.1 million in its first full year since being fully regulated in December 2009.

AAMS said upon publishing the figures that the dominance of skill games, sports betting and online bingo in 2010 showed that the three products were better suited to online use. The three categories accounted for more than 96% of online gaming turnover in 2010.

The upcoming launch of poker cash games in February and casino games in June should at least double turnover in Italy by 2012, analysts say. Italy's internet gambling industry has become a target for all the major companies since the country removed barriers to foreign operators last year in order to comply with European Union standards.

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