An illegal gambling crackdown in the Italian region of Calabria has flushed out a betting operation linked to the European iGaming hub of Malta.
According to Maltese media outlet Lovin’ Malta on Tuesday, authorities including Italy’s Financial Police, the Customs and Monopolies Agency, made the breakthrough after a major joint operation targeted illegal betting and gambling in the south of the country.
Lovin’ Malta reported that authorities discovered a betting shop in Bovalino “operating entirely outside the law.” The shop is reportedly linked to a gambling operator who, despite holding a Maltese license, didn’t have the same authority to operate in Italy.
failed to display banned games”
Investigators said that the Bovalino gambling venue had no public safety permits, “failed to display banned games” and was going under the name of a shuttered firm.
Another raid at a private club in the nearby Calabrian town of Condofuri uncovered illegal digital betting machines modified to “pay out cash without authorisation.” The devices were seized, with their operators facing fines of up to €50,000 ($58,870).
Malta is a mecca for gambling firms thanks to its tax breaks and extra layer of legal protection. While the European Poker Tour returned to the Mediterranean country in 2025 after a ten-year absence, Malta has also long been a popular destination with many pro poker players.
