Table of Contents
Octoplay has launched its content with StarCasinò, Betsson Group’s Italian brand, marking the game supplier’s third tier-one operator agreement in Italy within the space of a few months.
Italy Push Gains Momentum
The partnership with StarCasinò follows live launches with PokerStars and Sisal in the same market. Betsson Group holds the StarCasinò brand under its Italian operations, giving Octoplay further distribution across one of Europe’s most competitive regulated environments.
Italy’s online gambling sector has grown rapidly. Online GGR reached €5bn in 2024, a 17% increase year-on-year, with the online casino segment accounting for the bulk of that growth. The ADM awarded 52 new nine-year licences under an updated regulatory framework in late 2025, raising the entry fee to €7m per slot from €200,000 in 2018 and increasing the GGR tax on online casino play to 25.5%. The new licences are expected to take effect in early 2026, consolidating the market around a smaller group of well-capitalised operators.
For suppliers, that consolidation means distribution increasingly flows through a narrow set of tier-one accounts. Octoplay’s sequencing of deals, PokerStars and Sisal before StarCasinò, reflects the established pattern of supplier market entry: secure the largest operators first, then build out.
Octoplay CEO Ralitsa Georgieva, who took over the position recently, framed the Italian activity as a deliberate pace of market construction.
“StarCasinò is the third tier-one operator we have gone live with in Italy in the past months, and it reflects the pace at which we are building our presence in one of Europe’s most dynamic markets.”
Betsson Group Business Director Italy Fabio Denegri confirmed the partnership and pointed to the expected player response.
“We are confident that Octoplay’s content will resonate with Italian players, further strengthening our position as a benchmark for innovation in the regulated market.”
European Footprint Extends Beyond Italy
Italy is one part of a broader European push for Octoplay. The supplier has also signed with bet365 and BetVictor in the United Kingdom and reached an agreement with Luckia in Spain. In Denmark, the company launched with Danske Spil in 2025.
The pace of distribution agreements is notable for a supplier of Octoplay’s scale. Most of its European partner roster consists of established regulated operators, which aligns with its positioning in markets where licensing requirements limit access to authorised platforms. Italy, the UK, and Spain each operate under strict licence regimes where unlicensed product distribution is not viable, making these agreements a prerequisite for meaningful revenue generation in those markets.
<a href="https://epicwins.io/2026/02/05/betsson-ab-reports-q4-2025-results-with-full-year-revenue-growth-of-8-amid-increased-gaming-taxes-and-strategic-investments/”>Betsson reported 8% full-year revenue growth in 2024 amid increased gaming taxes across several of its European markets, with Italy positioned among its key growth territories. The addition of Octoplay’s content extends the brand’s game library at a time when operator competition in Italy is tightening following the licence renewal process.
Game Portfolio and Market Context
Octoplay’s catalogue includes titles such as Alice in Cashland, Most Wanted Hold & Win, 3 Scarabs of Fortune, and Gone Bassin. The studio’s content sits within the slots and hold-and-win category that has driven the majority of Italy’s online casino GGR growth.
Italy’s online casino segment generated €3.2bn in GGR in 2024, up 16% year-on-year. Online casino now accounts for the single largest share of Italy’s digital gambling revenue, ahead of sports betting, making it the primary target for game suppliers establishing local distribution. The <a href="https://epicwins.io/2025/12/16/2025-igaming-regulatory-wrapped-the-year-of-compliance/”>2025 regulatory cycle accelerated market consolidation around a smaller number of licensed operators, increasing the per-operator value of supply agreements and raising the stakes for suppliers to secure deals before the market stabilises.
With PokerStars, Sisal, and StarCasinò now live, Octoplay has secured a presence across operators representing three of the largest market share positions in Italian online casino. The outstanding question is how quickly the studio’s Italian operator roster expands now that the new licensing regime is in place.
Source: GamblingNews.com
