The second Black Book on gambling created by CGIL, Federconsumatori and the Isscon Foundation, based on 2023 data from the Customs and Monopolies Agency, confirms that Sicily is one of the regions in which people bet the most in Italy.
Already last year the first edition of the report had opened a disturbing glimpse into the gaming situation in Sicily, but this year the situation is even worse with almost all values increasing.
Online gambling surpasses physical gambling
Online gambling is now constantly above physical gambling in terms of overall value and Sicily is constantly at the top of most of the rankings, which are drawn up both for total played and for annual total per capita, both by province and by capital and for individual municipalities over 10,000 inhabitants.
Palermo is the fourth province in Italy after Rome, Naples and Milan
In the provincial ranking for total played in 2023, Palermo is fourth in Italy with 2.8 billion euros after Rome, Naples and Milan. Catania is sixth with 2.1 billion.
In the ranking of the total played only in the provincial capital municipalities, however, Palermo is fourth with 1.49 billion and Catania is fifth with 723 million.
Per capita spending on betting, all Sicilian podium
Moving on to the ranking by per capita spending, however, Sicily occupies the entire podium: the province of Messina is first (3,245 euros per capita), that of Palermo is second (3,244 euros) and that of Syracuse is third (3,203 euros).
By delving into the per capita gaming of individual municipalities over 10,000 residents, we discover even more worrying numbers. Like the 5,144 euros of average annual wagering in Patti, which is even exceeded by the 5,183 euros in Ficarazzi.
La Rosa, “We reiterate our concern about these dynamics”
“We can only reiterate our concern for these dynamics – comments the president of Federconsumatori Sicilia, Alfio La Rosa – and our suspicion that behind some peaks in the value played there are professional players who, in some cases, launder money on behalf of third parties. Sometimes even on behalf of the mafia.”
