Call the national gambling line on 800 558 822 — run by the Istituto Superiore di Sanità, anonymous and free, Monday to Friday 10:00 to 16:00. To lock yourself out of online gambling, register in the RUA (Registro Unico degli Autoesclusi) through the ADM portal with SPID or through the operator where you hold an account: one request can block every licensed remote operator at once. Treatment is delivered by public SerD addiction services, with direct access and no GP referral.
| National helpline | 800 558 822 — Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Mon–Fri 10:00–16:00, free, anonymous |
|---|---|
| Online self-exclusion | RUA (ADM) — all licensed remote operators, one operator, or one game category |
| Self-exclusion length | Fixed term up to 270 days with no early revocation, or indefinite (nine-month minimum) |
| How to register | ADM portal with SPID, or through the operator where you hold a gaming account |
| Scope limit | The RUA covers gioco a distanza (remote gambling); land-based venues are not included |
| Free treatment | SerD services: free and direct access, no ticket and no GP referral |
| Regulator | Agenzia delle Dogane e dei Monopoli (ADM) |
| Legal gambling age | 18 — ADM requires players to be maggiorenni |
Verified helplines
| Service | Phone / chat | Hours | Website |
|---|---|---|---|
| Telefono Verde Nazionale per le problematiche legate al Gioco d'azzardo (TVNGA) – Istituto Superiore di Sanità | 800 558 822 | Mon–Fri 10:00–16:00; anonymous and freeItalian | usciredalgioco.iss.it |
Helplines and online chat
The national gambling helpline is the Telefono Verde Nazionale per le problematiche legate al Gioco d'azzardo, run by the Istituto Superiore di Sanità: 800 558 822, "dal lunedì al venerdì dalle 10:00 alle 16:00", "anonimi e gratuiti". It is a weekday daytime service, which is worth knowing before a bad night — the ISS site usciredalgioco.iss.it also hosts a searchable directory of gambling treatment centres across Italy that you can use at any hour.
Giocatori Anonimi, the Italian Gamblers Anonymous fellowship, publishes a national contact number, 338 127 1215, and states "non ci sono quote o tasse per essere membri di G.A.". It runs in-person groups in regions across Italy and Zoom meetings on Tuesday, Thursday, Friday and Sunday at 21:00.
If you are thinking about ending your life, call 112 (the emergency number in Italy and across the EU) or find a crisis line at findahelpline.com. Other national numbers are in the helplines directory.
Self-exclusion
Italy's national self-exclusion register is the Registro Unico degli Autoesclusi (RUA), run by the Agenzia delle Dogane e dei Monopoli. ADM states a unified register has existed since 12 February 2018.
Two ways in. If you already hold a gaming account, you can request self-exclusion through that licensed operator. If you would rather not go through an operator, log in to the ADM portal with SPID at adm.gov.it and file it directly.
The RUA is unusual in offering three levels of scope, and choosing the wrong one is the common mistake:
| Scope | What it blocks |
|---|---|
| All operators | "Blocca l'accesso al gioco a distanza offerto da tutti i concessionari" — every licensed remote operator, and prevents opening new accounts |
| Single operator | One licensed operator only; the rest of the market stays open |
| Single game category | One type of game, such as fixed-odds sports betting, at one operator or at all of them |
Duration has two options. A fixed term is set by you up to 270 days and cannot be revoked early. An indefinite exclusion has no end date, and revocation can only be requested once at least nine months have passed. During an exclusion you cannot open accounts or place bets, but you can withdraw winnings.
What the RUA does not cover
The RUA is a register for gioco a distanza — remote gambling. ADM's own page describes it in those terms, so betting shops, arcades and land-based casinos are not blocked by it. If physical venues are part of the problem, the RUA alone will not close them. The same split shows up in most European schemes; see self-exclusion by country.
Blocking gambling payments and sites
Registering in the RUA stops licensed operators from letting you in. It does not stop your phone from loading an unlicensed site, and unlicensed sites are where people go after a self-exclusion. Installing blocking software on the same day closes that gap — the options are compared in blocking apps for iOS and Android.
Italy has no national bank-level gambling block scheme to sign up for. If you want gambling merchant payments stopped at the card, ask your own bank what controls it offers rather than assuming the feature exists. Debt that has already accumulated needs its own plan: what to do about gambling debt.
ADM publishes the list of authorised remote gambling concessionaires and their collection channels, which is the way to check whether a site is inside the regulated market. Anything outside it will never see your RUA registration.
Free treatment and counselling
Gambling disorder is treated inside the public health system by SerD (Servizi per le Dipendenze), the same services that handle alcohol and drugs, with multidisciplinary teams of doctors, psychologists, social workers, educators and nurses.
Access is designed to be low-friction. The Emilia-Romagna regional health service states it plainly: "L'accesso al Servizio Dipendenze Patologiche è gratuito e diretto: non si paga alcun ticket nè ci vuole la richiesta del medico di famiglia" — free and direct, no co-payment and no GP referral. Anonymity is guaranteed on request, and services are open to Italian citizens, legally resident foreign nationals and minors. Arrangements are set regionally, so confirm the local rules when you call your own SerD.
To find a service near you, use the ISS directory of gambling treatment centres at usciredalgioco.iss.it, or call 800 558 822 and ask. If you want to sort out what you are dealing with first, the self-test and signs of gambling addiction are a reasonable starting point.
Support for family and friends
The ISS helpline takes calls from relatives on the same number, and SerD services see family members as well as the person who gambles — you do not need their agreement to make your own appointment.
Giocatori Anonimi maintains a section for "familiari ed amici di giocatori", and its national number is answered by volunteers who can explain how the meetings work before anyone attends one. On the practical side, if you are helping someone file a RUA request, make sure it is the all-operators scope rather than the single-operator one — see how to help someone with a gambling addiction.
Gambling law and the regulator
Gambling in Italy is regulated by the Agenzia delle Dogane e dei Monopoli. Remote gambling falls under a state reserve: ADM states that "la materia del gioco a distanza rientra tra quelle su cui vi è una riserva dello Stato che ne consente l'esercizio esclusivamente ai soggetti in possesso di concessione" — only holders of a state concession may offer it. The public list of authorised concessionaires and their channels is published on the ADM site.
Players must be of legal age, which is 18 in Italy, and licensed operators are required to verify identity at registration and to operate the self-exclusion system connected to the RUA.
Frequently asked questions
How do I self-exclude from gambling in Italy?
Register in the RUA, either through the licensed operator where you hold a gaming account or by logging in to the ADM portal with SPID. Choose the all-operators scope if you want every licensed remote operator blocked, since the single-operator and single-game options leave the rest of the market open.
How long does RUA self-exclusion last?
You can set a fixed term of up to 270 days, which cannot be revoked early, or choose an indefinite exclusion. An indefinite exclusion can only be revoked once at least nine months have passed. During the exclusion you cannot open accounts or bet, but you can withdraw winnings.
Does the RUA block betting shops and casinos?
No. The RUA is a register for gioco a distanza — remote gambling. Land-based venues such as betting shops, arcades and casinos are outside its scope, so it will not stop physical access on its own.
Is gambling addiction treatment free in Italy?
Treatment is provided by public SerD addiction services. The Emilia-Romagna health service states that access is free and direct, with no ticket and no family-doctor referral required, and anonymity guaranteed on request. Arrangements are set regionally, so confirm with your local SerD.