The Italian iGaming market is one of Europe’s largest and most distinctive, with an estimated GGR of €21.6bn in 2024. Success here doesn’t come easily: it demands understanding a highly competitive landscape, navigating strict regulations, and, above all, knowing what truly resonates with local players.
To explore how B2C collaborations help providers connect more closely with Italian iGamers, we spoke with Alex Malchenko, Head of Sales at Evoplay, along with the co-founders of Italian affiliate platform Casino2K: Salvatore Martorana (CFO), Matteo Giannone (CEO), and Stefano Franceschetti (CFO), enthusiastic experts in iGaming. Tuffati! (Dive in!)
What makes the Italian market stand out compared to other European countries in terms of content? What trends do you currently see in game and brand promotion here today?
Casino2k:
The Italian market is well known for its strict regulations, setting very high standards for player protection and transparency. This also translates into a strong focus on responsible gaming, which operators emphasise through legal channels such as their websites, in-app messages, and other permitted formats.
Additionally, in the regulated Italian market, we have brands such as Lottomatica, Snai, and Sisal, all with a long history in gaming, even before online casinos were introduced. From our perspective, this makes them recognisable brands with structured promotional strategies, unlike emerging operators who are still building brand awareness.
Recent trends also show growing attention to integrating game content with engagement tools, such as tournaments or daily wheels of fortune, which are increasingly popular among Italian players.
Evoplay:
First and foremost, it’s the regulation. The Italian market can feel more demanding compared with other jurisdictions, and processing may take longer. Providers need to pass specific verifications, provide additional reports from test labs, submit everything to the regulator, and then wait for approval. On the other hand, this ensures that players receive high-quality and safe content.
Another aspect to note is that Italy remains a more localised market, with a strong preference for Italian in both content and partner communication. Importantly, this localisation gives the market its distinctive identity – operators and players alike value culturally relevant content and tailored communication.
And, of course, Italian players’ preferences add another layer. They tend to be drawn to classic styles, but identifying which classics will resonate is no easy feat without solid analytics and experience. That’s exactly what drives us as game creators!
Which genres and formats are currently most popular with your Italian audience?
Casino2k:
Slot machines remain by far the most popular genre among the Italian audience. This is due to several factors: the variety of themes, the immediacy of gameplay, and the appeal of bonus features. We also notice strong interest in slots built around innovative mechanics such as Hold and Win, Megaways, Cluster Pays, and video game–inspired concepts. At the same time, slots with mythological or historical themes continue to be highly popular, as they resonate with the collective imagination of the Italian audience.
We also observe that, in recent years, two other forms of entertainment have been gaining traction in the Italian market: live casino game shows and instant games. On the one hand, game shows allow players to interact with a live dealer and are characterised by bold sounds and vibrant colours; on the other hand, dynamic instant games are simpler in graphics and last only a few seconds. Despite these differences, both formats are very successful. This highlights the fact that, at least in the Italian market, it is difficult to define a standard type of player, as the sector remains very fluid.
Evoplay:
From what we see, the core audience of iGamers is still made up of millennials and older generations, but more and more zoomers are starting to join in. Naturally, this is shaping the way tastes and preferences evolve.
In Italy, slots and instant games are the clear favourites. When it comes to themes, players go for a wide range, from sports-inspired content to timeless classics with mythological characters, animal imagery, or symbols of luck. Looking at the past few years, the games that have been the most popular among our titles are slots like Elven Princesses, Inner Fire Bonus Buy, The Greatest Catch Bonus Buy, and Hot Triple Sevens, to name just a few.
All in all, Italian players continue to enjoy classic themes and mechanics, while showing growing interest in more dynamic formats, such as the Penalty Shoot-out instant game. For us, that balance creates plenty of room to keep experimenting and offer players an even more diverse and engaging gaming experience.
Which Evoplay titles have already gained popularity and positive feedback based on your observations?
Casino2k:
Evoplay is definitely one of the most appreciated emerging providers in our market. Its titles stand out for graphic quality and innovative gameplay. We’ve noticed particular interest in games like Temple of Thunder and Fruit Super Nova, which combine familiar mechanics with refined aesthetics.
Additionally, games that incorporate arcade elements – a distinctive feature of Evoplay – are attracting more attention from our readers, who see them as an interesting alternative to traditional slots. Feedback is also positive regarding mobile performance and accessibility for new users.
Evoplay:
Slots remain the clear favourite among Italian iGamers, while instant games are steadily gaining popularity. Among Evoplay titles, for example, the football-themed instant game Penalty Shoot-out has long been at the top of the popularity list, alongside classic slots, especially those with various additional features, such as Bonus Buy. Our partners have also highlighted games like Animal Quest, an action-packed adventure slot, as well as classic-themed games like Temple of Thunder II with Hold & Win mechanics, and games featuring big symbols.
Among Evoplay’s various promotions, such as Tournaments, Random Prize Drops, Races, and Quests, the Wheel of Fortune is one of the most appealing.
In general, the Italian audience loves variety. The more themes and mechanics, particularly in slots, we can offer, the more we engage local players.
How important is the relationship between affiliates and providers in your work? What do you personally value most in your collaboration with each other?
Casino2k:
Providers are a fundamental part of our work. They supply the content that powers online casinos, and our role is to select and showcase the most interesting experiences. Collaboration with Evoplay is particularly stimulating because it allows us to offer our audience a fresh and technologically advanced perspective on gaming.
Direct dialogue between affiliate and provider is invaluable: it allows us to create content that goes beyond simply promoting a slot or brand, providing insights that interest our readers. With Evoplay, we share the goal of enhancing user experience, which is reflected in how we structure articles, interviews, and game presentations together.
Evoplay:
Affiliate cooperation is an important part of our business strategy, supporting brand growth, engaging players, and promoting our games. To support these goals, we launched initiatives such as the Affiliate Hub, while also creating tailored projects with partners for different campaigns. For example, this year we created for the first time a joint game, Uncrossable Rush, with the affiliate platform SlotCatalog and joint campaigns, including the Oath of Steel campaign with SlotsCalendar.
And the choice of partners is very important for us. On the one hand, this is a matter of reputation, and on the other, how successful we will be in a particular region, among a specific audience, and so on. Coordinating work with affiliates who know better what to highlight to players is really very valuable in the context of both player attraction to the game and retention.
Share how your partnership with Evoplay/Casino2k is going and what’s next?
Casino2k:
Currently, we are working on two fronts. The first is an interview with Olha Pronak, Head of Key Account Management at Evoplay, where we discussed central topics such as gamification, mobile-first approach, and adaptation for the Italian audience. The second is co-authoring an article that explores the provider’s strengths and contextualises them within the regulated Italian market.
We also see plenty of opportunities ahead, as both we and Evoplay can support each other in engaging the Italian audience and providing them with exactly what they want.
Evoplay:
As we are currently paying special attention to localisation, and since the Italian market has always been of particular value to Evoplay, a partnership with a local affiliate such as Casino2k looks mutually beneficial. They have deep knowledge of local players, their preferences, and the features they value, and we bring experience in creating high-quality, classic and modern games, as well as unique promotions that effectively showcase our offerings to players. While we continue to enhance our communication, once it is fully in place, we will be ready to present something more substantial.
What areas of “affiliate–provider” collaboration would you like to see develop further on the Italian market?
Casino2k:
We believe “affiliate–provider” collaboration should become more structured and bilateral. Often, both work with the same operator (casino) but without real dialogue between them. However, direct interaction can lead to more effective promotional strategies, more relevant editorial content, and better alignment on common goals. With Evoplay, we are already developing this type of collaboration, and we hope there will be more opportunities in the future for exclusive previews or initiatives tailored to the Italian market.
One area where collaboration could improve is casino landing pages. If providers, when promoting a new game, encouraged operators to create dedicated pages for the game and for affiliates covering it, both affiliates and providers would benefit: affiliates could promote targeted content more easily, and providers would gain greater visibility for their games.
Evoplay:
Looking ahead, our strategy includes strengthening existing affiliate partnerships, launching new ones, and developing the previously mentioned Affiliate Hub project. This means there will be a range of campaigns, activities, and communications in the pipeline.
Currently, with the team, we’re preparing something truly special in the affiliate space, and we look forward to sharing more details soon. From creating joint games to promotional campaigns, Evoplay is open to new initiatives to further strengthen the affiliate direction.
Conclusion
What stands out from this discussion is that the Italian market rewards those who focus on localisation, trust, and strict compliance with regulations. For those able to crack the code, success will follow – and affiliates can be powerful allies along the way.
