(AsiaGameHub) – Despite being blacklisted in Italy and a ban on gambling sponsorships in sports, Polymarket has announced partnerships with Serie A and Italian soccer club Lazio.
On Thursday, Polymarket revealed that it had signed an agreement to become “the official and exclusive prediction market partner of Serie A in the United States.”
Under the terms of the deal, Polymarket will receive brand integrations across the soccer league’s U.S. media and digital platforms.
“The next phase of sports engagement won’t be defined by more content, but by more participation,” said Shayne Coplan, Founder & CEO of Polymarket. “Prediction markets give fans a way to actively interpret the game in real time, and partnering with Serie A brings that model to one of the world’s most followed leagues at a moment when American interest in the sport is at an all-time high.”
This partnership in Italy follows Polymarket’s recent collaboration with Spain’s soccer league, La Liga. It marks its first deal with a European soccer league, though the company also maintains agreements with Major League Soccer (MLS) and several other sporting organizations, including MLB, NHL, and UFC.
Polymarket Will Feature on Lazio Shirts Next Season
In addition to its arrangement with Serie A, one of the league’s prominent clubs, Lazio, confirmed that Polymarket will appear on the front of their shirts starting next season.
The deal is reportedly valued at $22 million over two years and appears to circumvent Italy’s prohibition on gambling-related sponsorships.
Italy enacted the Decreto Dignità (Dignity Decree) in 2019, which bans all forms of gambling and betting advertisements—including sponsorships for sports teams and leagues.
Alongside serving as the club’s primary sponsor, Polymarket is also designated as the Official Fan Intelligence & Digital Insight Partner of Lazio. The club has emphasized that Polymarket functions as an informational resource rather than a betting platform.
“Polymarket is a partner that interprets the future, capable of reading and analyzing trends through innovative tools,” stated Lazio President Claudio Lotito. “This agreement strengthens Lazio’s international development strategy and reflects the club’s commitment to positioning itself as a modern, open, and competitive entity within the evolving landscape of global sport.”
Italy Blocks Access to Polymarket
Italy is listed among the restricted jurisdictions on Polymarket’s website, alongside 32 other countries. The Agenzia delle Dogane e dei Monopoli (ADM), Italy’s gambling regulatory authority, blocked access to Polymarket last year due to concerns that it operates as an unlicensed gambling platform.
Following an appeal, the agency permitted users to view the site’s news, surveys, and general information, but continues to prevent Italians from engaging in Polymarket’s prediction markets.
Michele Ciccarese, Marketing & Commercial Director of Serie A, clarified that the partnership aims to promote the league in America, not to advance Polymarket’s presence in Italy.
“The United States represents a key growth market for Serie A,” said Ciccarese. “Our exclusive alliance with Polymarket, as Regional Partner in the USA, enables us to connect with a new generation of fans via a platform aligned with emerging trends. It delivers an interactive, real-time experience rooted in insights and participation—perfectly matching their expectations.”
Companies Find Workarounds Around Gambling Sponsorship Bans
While officially framed as a move to boost Serie A’s profile in the U.S., this deal also exposes Polymarket’s brand within Italy despite the country’s gambling sponsorship restrictions and the company’s blocked status there.
Other gambling operators have similarly navigated around Italy’s sponsorship rules. Betsson, the Swedish gambling firm, displays its logo on Inter Milan’s shirts under the name Betsson Sport.
Betsson Sport is officially described as a “sports infotainment” portal and is legally distinct from Betsson’s core gambling operations. Notably, Betsson holds a valid gambling license in Italy.
LeoVegas.News pioneered a loophole by allowing companies to use similar branding under different names. As the news division of online casino LeoVegas, it now partners with Atalanta and Inter Milan.
Roma features Eurobet.live on its kit—another “sports infotainment” brand separate from Eurobet, which belongs to Entain.
Meanwhile, AC Milan collaborates with Snaifun instead of directly with Snai, which is owned by Flutter.
Roma and Palermo both showcase StarCasinò Sport on their jerseys, a distinct entity from StarCasinò, the actual gambling brand.
Similarly, Napoli has partnered with 365Scores, part of the bet365 group.
Clubs seeking to maintain visibility in the English Premier League may consider these strategies ahead of next season, when the EPL will implement a voluntary ban on front-of-shirt gambling sponsors. To date, teams have avoided compliance by securing sleeve and training kit sponsorships instead.
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