Online Gaming

The Online Gaming Observatory is sponsored by the School of Management, the Customs and Monopolies Agency and Sogei (www.sogei.it - a company providing information and communications technology services belonging to the Italian Ministry for Economy and Finance). It is concerned with studying - in depth and critically - the online games market and be a permanent point of reference for the sector. Every year, the Observatory’s objective is to measure the market and number of gamblers, overall and by gaming type, in order to analyse the offer on various digital channels and to compare the Italian landscape with the major regulated international markets. The Observatory involves the main operators in the sector, arranging meetings and debates on the most influential trends in place, organising a convention that acts as a hub and focal point for the major players in the field. The Observatory is responsible for a number of national and international publications and enjoys regular coverage in generalist and specialised press.

The objectives set out for the Observatory’s research are to:

• measure the market - in terms of expenditure, operator turnover and applicable tax - classified according to various aspects (different types of games, geographical areas, gaming channels, etc.);
• study consumer online gaming behaviour, measuring the number and frequency of games played and relative life-time value, and examining the users’ social-demographic profile;
• analyse the structure of the offer and gain an understanding of the various players in the sector;
• measure the offer on new channels (smartphones, tablets, connected TVs and social media) and closely examine their place in how the sector is evolving;
• compare the Italian market with the main regulated international markets;
• outline the main trends in place and potential future developments.