IGT has outlined belief it will retain its position as lead technology and systems supplier for the Lotto Italia concession, which is currently under review by Italy’s Customs and Monopolies Agency (ADM).
The message was the headline statement issued by Executive Chairman Marco Sala, ahead of IGT’s Investor Summit on 20 May.
IGT leads a four-party consortium comprising Allwyn, Arianna 2001, and Novomatic, aiming to extend the Lotto Italia concession contract through to 2034.
The multi-billion-euro tender is currently being contested by SISAL SpA, the Italian subsidiary of Flutter Entertainment and the current operator of the SuperEnalotto lottery.
This morning, IGT informed investors that the Judging Commission for the Lotto Italia licence has completed its analysis of the technical and economic bids submitted to manage Lotto Italia.
IGT is confident that the Judging Commission favours its consortium’s proposal and expects ADM to confirm the award within the next 35 days.
“The Italian Lotto concession is one of the world’s most important lottery contracts. IGT and its predecessor companies have successfully managed the licence for over 30 years through constant innovation and the introduction of cutting-edge technology,” said Marco Sala, Executive Chair of the Board.
“The award is very gratifying, and we are honoured and excited to continue working with the ADM for a further nine years.”
The consortium has committed to a total €2.23bn in upfront licence fees, to be paid in three instalments: €500m and €300m in 2025, with the remaining €1.43bn due in 2026.
IGT, which has managed the Italian Lotto for more than three decades, will retain operational control under the new concession. The licence terms include a 6% concession fee on total wagers and an additional 8% distributor fee for digital sales.
“The exciting innovation pipeline, with fresh launches scheduled for the start of the new licence, will drive Lotto wager growth,” said IGT CEO Vince Sadusky.
“In addition, we plan to significantly grow our iLottery sales and leverage that momentum to expand into the Italian B2C iCasino, sports betting, and other digital gaming segments.”
IGT is optimistic about retaining its long-standing technology contract, having served as Lotto Italia’s lead technology provider since its formation in 1993. Under IGT’s stewardship, the Lotto has grown significantly, with annual collections rising from €2.5bn to €7.6bn by 2022.
The renewal of the Lotto Italia contract was described as a matter of strategic priority for IGT, reinforcing its repositioning as a standalone technology provider for global lotteries following the divestment of its gaming division to Apollo Global in 2024.
Amid ongoing corporate restructuring, IGT reported a significant decline in profitability. Income from continuing operations fell sharply to just $8m, compared to $116m in the same period last year.
