The Italian Ministry of Economy and Finance (MEF) has submitted a draft ministerial decree to Parliament outlining the events linked to national lotteries for 2026. Notably, the document also includes provisions for the 2025 edition of the Lotteria Italia, which has now been officially confirmed, albeit with a slight delay compared to the usual timeline.
2025 edition confirmed; TV promotion remains key
On 7 May, formally requested feedback from the Finance Committee (Commission VI) by 7 June, in accordance with parliamentary regulations. As in previous years, the drawing for the Lotteria Italia will be tied to national radio and television broadcasts—an approach seen as highly effective for ensuring public engagement and widespread visibility.
The decree will next be sent to the Court of Auditors for registration and subsequently published in the Gazzetta Ufficiale (Official Gazette).
2025 to feature Lotteria Italia only
According to the technical report attached to the decree, the decision to proceed solely with the Lotteria Italia stems from two primary factors: the absence of requests from other event organisers for pairing, and a drive to reduce costs. This is particularly relevant given the underwhelming performance of other lottery events in recent years.
Indeed, recent years have seen a marked decline in the number of delayed-draw lottery events, with all efforts now focused on the flagship event that has become a staple of Italian popular culture: the Lotteria Italia.
Lotteria Italia posts strong results
The 2023 edition brought in over €33.5 million in revenue, generating a net profit of €13.57 million for the state treasury—an increase of 11.47% compared to the previous year. This positive trend, which began in 2021 after the pandemic-related slump of 2020, appears to be holding steady.
Contributing to this success was the (Disegniamo la Fortuna) initiative by the Customs and Monopolies Agency, which engaged artists with disabilities to design the lottery tickets—highlighting the social value of the campaign.
Preliminary data as of 30 November 2024 show a 34.7% year-on-year increase in ticket sales. Analysts attribute this surge to the lottery’s integration into popular television programming, considered a pivotal factor in boosting public participation.
No instant win component: a deliberate choice
As with the 2024 edition, the 2025 Lotteria Italia will not include an instant win feature. This decision aligns with Italy’s “Dignity Decree” (DL 87/2018), which restricts gambling-related advertising, with exceptions made only for delayed-draw lotteries.
While this may reduce opportunities for players to reinvest their winnings, it also results in significant cost savings. Estimates suggest that eliminating instant prizes cuts expenses by around €12 million per edition—savings that allow a larger share of revenue to be allocated to both prize pools and public coffers.
The 2025 Lotteria Italia will continue to capitalise on the promotional power of nationally broadcast television shows with broad audiences. In the absence of new partnership proposals from other organisations, this strategy remains the most effective way to sustain public interest in the traditional lottery and ensure its financial viability.
