Lazio have terminated their €19 million shirt sponsorship agreement with Polymarket after Italian authorities ruled the prediction market platform illegal under the country’s strict gambling advertising laws. The Serie A side confirmed the partnership ended by mutual consent just months after it was signed in April 2026.
The Customs and Monopolies Agency (ADM) blocked access to Polymarket from Italian territory following an appeal by the company. While Polymarket argued it operated as a prediction market based on exchanges between users, the ADM insisted it constituted a betting site. Under Italian regulations, advertising public gambling is prohibited, rendering the shirt sponsorship untenable.
Financial Safeguards Agreed
Although the deal lasted only a brief period, Lazio will receive the full financial benefit originally agreed. The club announced that Polymarket will pay the entire amount contractually due for the 2026/2027 sporting season as part of the settlement.
Both parties characterised the separation as amicable. They maintain a relationship of mutual respect and have left open the possibility of future collaboration should the regulatory framework in Italy permit such partnerships later.
Sponsorship Search Resumes
The agreement was supposed to run for two seasons with an option for 2028/29. It had ended a difficult spell for the Roman club, who were the only Serie A team without a main commercial partner on their jerseys last season. The search for a replacement front-of-shirt sponsor now resumes, though the guaranteed income provides a buffer during this transition.
The case highlights the growing tension between emerging digital betting platforms and traditional European gambling regulations, leaving clubs to navigate increasingly complex compliance requirements when securing commercial deals.