Home / Sports / Lazio's Betting Sponsor Blocked by Italy
Lazio's Betting Sponsor Blocked by Italy
21 Aug
Summary
- Lazio's Polymarket deal ended after months due to Italy's gambling ban.
- Italy's agency blocked Polymarket as unauthorized, leading to deal termination.
- Dignity Decree bans gambling ads, affecting licensed and unlicensed operators.
SS Lazio's sponsorship agreement with prediction market platform Polymarket, announced in April 2026 and valued at €19-22 million, has been terminated. The deal, initially set to run through June 2028, ended prematurely after Italy's Customs and Monopolies Agency (ADM) blacklisted Polymarket as an unauthorized gambling operator.
Access to Polymarket's site was blocked nationwide in July 2026 following a court ruling, after a prior block in November 2025 had been temporarily lifted. Lazio subsequently removed Polymarket's branding and began winding down the agreement.
The termination stems from Italy's Dignity Decree, which has banned gambling advertising since January 2019. Polymarket's classification as a betting operator, rather than a prediction market, meant it fell under this ban.
This strict regulation affects even licensed operators, forcing Italian clubs to seek "infotainment" partnerships with subsidiary brands of betting companies. Serie A has actively lobbied to overturn the decree, citing significant lost sponsorship revenue.
Across Europe, betting sponsorship is facing increased restrictions. The Premier League will ban front-of-shirt gambling sponsors from the 2026-27 season, while Spain implemented an outright ban in 2021. Italy's absolute approach remains an exception, leading to predictable outcomes for deals like Lazio's Polymarket agreement.
