Lazio and Polymarket Terminate €22 Million Sponsorship Agreement
Italy.- 13 August 2026 | www.zonadeazar.com Lazio and Polymarket have mutually agreed to terminate their headline sponsorship agreement, valued at €22 million, following regulatory developments affecting the prediction markets platform in Italy.
The decision comes after Italian authorities reaffirmed that Polymarket’s activities fall within the country’s regulated gambling framework.
News Details
The sponsorship had been announced in April and was scheduled to run until June 2028, with an option to extend for an additional season.
The agreement had ended a period of almost three years in which Lazio had operated without a main shirt sponsor.
However, the position changed following intervention by Italy’s Customs and Monopolies Agency (ADM).
On 10 July, the ADM placed Polymarket back on its blacklist of websites considered unauthorised to offer gambling services to Italian consumers.
The authority regards Polymarket’s activities as the provision or collection of gambling without the required Italian concession.
Regulatory Impact
That classification had direct consequences for the sponsorship.
Italy’s 2018 Dignity Decree prohibits direct and indirect advertising and sponsorship of gambling products.
As a result, Lazio was unable to activate the agreement as originally planned ahead of the new Serie A season.
Polymarket challenged the ADM decision before Italy’s Regional Administrative Court (TAR), arguing that prediction markets should be distinguished from traditional sports betting and gambling products.
However, the court declined to grant urgent interim relief while the broader legal challenge is considered.
Statements
Lazio and Polymarket said they had reached a mutually agreed solution allowing the partnership to end early while safeguarding the interests of both parties in light of the new regulatory measures.
As part of the settlement, Polymarket will pay Lazio the full amount contractually due for the 2026/27 season.
That payment is reported to be worth approximately €9.5 million.
Industry Context
The case once again highlights the wider regulatory debate surrounding prediction markets and their legal classification in Europe.
Italian authorities currently maintain that certain event-contract platforms are subject to the same regulatory requirements applying to conventional gambling operators.
The Dignity Decree also remains fully in force despite continuing political and industry discussions over possible changes to Italy’s gambling advertising restrictions.
Next Steps or Impact
The termination means Lazio will avoid an immediate financial hit during the 2026/27 season, as Polymarket will honour the payment due for that campaign.
The two parties have also left open the possibility of reviving the commercial relationship should Italy’s regulatory treatment of prediction markets change.
For now, clubs, operators and media companies remain required to comply with Italy’s existing restrictions on gambling advertising and sponsorship.
Editó: @fonta
