Italian regulators have called for Serie A’s “True Data” campaign to be halted.
Serie A has been told by ADM, Italy’s Customs and Monopolies Agency, to terminate its promotion of its ‘True Data’ campaign.
Serie A’s 2026/2027 season began on the weekend of 22 August, with football clubs and stadiums promoting the ‘True Data’ message: “If the data is not official, your bet is less safe.”
ADM issued a direct order to Serie A officials to suspend the campaign immediately, deeming it to present a misleading message to audiences about safer gambling practices.
As the governing agency of Italian gambling (both retail and online), ADM stated that the slogan used by Serie A was false. The league was chastised for failing to communicate that only bets and markets offered by Italian state-licensed gambling firms are safe and certified.
The choice of data provider used by licensed sportsbooks has no bearing on whether a wager should be considered safe. The regulator warned that the campaign could lead consumers to question the legality, security, and fairness of Italian sportsbook licences.
ADM chief Roberto Alesse is reported to have written to Serie A CEO Luigi De Siervo and President Ezio Simonelli, to ask why the campaign was allowed to be broadcast without the information presented to audiences being fact-checked.
Alesse stressed ADM’s role as the sole authority responsible for regulating the legality of sports betting. The agency requires “licensed operators to certify event results within its regulatory framework, regardless of which data partners they use.”
Serie A was criticised for promoting a confusing message to football fans and ordered to terminate the campaign. Furthermore, ADM believes the campaign could indirectly “promote gambling by creating an immediate association between Serie A match coverage and betting”.
The agency concluded its warning by stating that it would “take formal action” against Serie A, maintaining that no external party, regardless of its status, “should misrepresent the security of Italy’s regulated betting market”.
AGCOM – Dignity Decree is the Law
This summer all Serie A and professional clubs were warned by AGCOM, Italy’s communications and media authority, that the restrictions of the 2018 Dignity Decree would remain in place.
The Dignity Decree, imposed by the short-lived 5-Star and Lega coalition government, has enforced a blanket ban on gambling advertising and sponsorships since 2018.
Although the rules allow certain informational partnerships, Serie A clubs were warned that only safer and responsible gambling campaigns and content can be presented to the public, with no use of endorsements by clubs or athletes.
AGCOM stated that it had been forced to undertake a sweep of campaigns after finding that too many safer gambling initiatives featured blurred messages that could be interpreted as direct endorsements of betting partners—a practice the agency intends to crack down on with substantial fines.
The warning came directly from AGCOM President Giacomo Lasorella, who stated that any intended review of the Dignity Decree was irrelevant to the present circumstances, as gambling advertising and sponsorship remain prohibited under Italian law.
Decree repeal on the clock
The Meloni government now faces a tight timetable to present its plans for repealing the Dignity Decree as part of its policy agenda and 2027 budget.
A repeal is supported by Serie A, the Italian Football Federation, and the Italian Olympic Committee. The Decree could be replaced by a 2% levy on football betting revenues, providing new funding for Italian football following the national team’s failure to qualify for a third consecutive FIFA World Cup.
Final measures are being negotiated by Sports Minister Andrea Abodi and new FIGC President Giovanni Malagò. Both have expressed confidence that a final plan can be presented to PM Giorgia Meloni to begin reinvesting in Italian football, particularly in grassroots development, stadium infrastructure and the women’s game.
Meloni has instructed ministers to finalise their policy proposals by the end of September as her government prioritises its outstanding agenda before Italy enters its 2027 election cycle. The revival of Italian football is expected to be championed across the political spectrum, placing the issue firmly on the election battleground for Meloni and her opponents.
