Italy’s online sports betting market enjoyed a surge in February but punter-friendly results kept revenue flat.

Online sports betting stakes in the month of February rose 90% to €227.1m, reflecting the expansion of betting options introduced last year by Italian regulator AAMS and last fall’s launch of Bet365’s Italian-facing site. However, Italian-licensed online sportsbook revenue was flat at €20.2m as a host of football favorites lived up to their reputations.

Hopes are high that the turnover trends will continue due to AAMS proposals to further loosen restrictions on betting options. A plan to swap the turnover-based tax for one based on gross gaming revenue is also expected to help Italian-licensed operators offer the kinds of incentives currently only available via operators licensed outside Italy.

VIRTUAL BETTING HAS “VERY SIGNIFICANT” IMPACT ON SNAI RESULTS