Lazio Drops Polymarket Deal After Italian Ban

Lazio has confirmed that its €19m sponsorship agreement with Polymarket has been brought to an end by mutual consent after Italian regulators declared the site illegal.

The club had signed the deal in April 2026, with plans for it to run across two seasons and an option to extend into 2028–29. The Polymarket deal was meant to provide a serious financial boost to the Italian side, especially after being the only team in the league last season without a main commercial partner on its jersey. However, strict rules in Italy around gambling advertising quickly created problems.

Polymarket argued it should be treated as a prediction market where users exchange odds, but the Customs and Monopolies Agency (ADM) rejected that claim, according to Football Italia (FI).

The agency classified it as a betting platform instead and blocked access to the site in Italy. With the appeal lost, Lazio and Polymarket agreed to terminate the partnership, ending what was set to be one of the league’s most valuable sponsorships.

Polymarket to complete payment for 2026/2027 season, as both parties agree to keep in touch

Lazio confirmed in its statement that the sponsorship deal with Polymarket has been ended “by mutual agreement.”

The club explained that the decision was taken “in a spirit of mutual cooperation” and allowed both sides to close the partnership early while protecting their interests, given the new regulatory measures introduced in Italy.

As part of the settlement, Polymarket will still pay Lazio the full amount due for the 2026/2027 season. The club added that despite the termination, “the parties confirm that they have maintained a relationship of mutual respect and cooperation and intend to continue their institutional dialogue.”

Looking ahead, Lazio noted that “should the applicable regulatory framework permit in the future, S.S. Lazio and Polymarket will look favourably upon the opportunity to establish a new partnership.”

Polymarket continue to hit roadblocks around Europe

The Lazio announcement comes as Polymarket’s expansion across Europe continues to face repeated setbacks, with regulators and courts moving against the platform in quick succession.

In January, Hungary blocked access to Polymarket, citing illegal gambling activity. Romania followed in April, when a court upheld the national regulator’s decision to blacklist the site. By May, Spain had halted operations for Polymarket and Kalshi over missing licenses, while Ireland opened an inquiry into bets tied to a Dublin by-election.

June brought a coordinated move from nine European authorities, Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Spain and Switzerland— who issued a joint warning against unlicensed prediction markets.

They stressed that platforms like Polymarket pose “serious risks of illegality, fund blocking, fraud through insider information, and financial volatility.”

The crackdown continued into July. Ireland’s regulator threatened legal action, Norway classified prediction markets as betting, and Czechia ordered internet providers to block Polymarket. Days later, the Dutch regulator rejected Polymarket’s appeal, keeping its gambling classification in place.

While it has seen some positive feedback in countries like Spain, where it partnered with the first-division league La Liga, the prediction market operator is still struggling to find room to operate legally across the continent.

Lazio Drops Polymarket Deal After Italian Ban

Polymarket to complete payment for 2026/2027 season, as both parties agree to keep in touch

Polymarket continue to hit roadblocks around Europe

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