Italian Authorities Freeze $28 Million in Assets in Alleged $27 Million Gratta e Vinci Lottery Insider Scheme
Italian authorities froze more than $28 million in assets from five people accused of using Lottomatica server access to steer $27 million in Gratta e Vinci wins to associates between 2015 and 2019. The scheme targeted four specific jackpots and specific retail locations. A judge will rule on continuing the freeze during the criminal trial.
SCCG Take — The case shows how insider access to distribution data can convert public lottery revenue into private gains. Operators and regulators must treat data controls as core to preserving game integrity and state returns.
Italian authorities have frozen more than $28 million in assets tied to five individuals accused in a $27 million scam that used privileged lottery data to guarantee wins for a network of relatives and friends.
The matter centers on four employees and two former employees of Lottomatica, the operator of Italy’s state-backed Gratta e Vinci scratch-off lottery from 2015 to 2019. The group allegedly accessed company servers with legitimate credentials to locate four specific winning tickets before distribution.
How the Alleged Scheme Worked
The insiders identified two tickets worth €7 million ($7.8 million) and two worth €5 million ($5.6 million) each. Court documents indicate they obtained the exact retail outlets and delivery dates for these tickets, then directed acquaintances to purchase them at targeted stores.
Wins occurred in Milan and Brescia province in 2015, Foggia in 2017, and Cremona in 2019. After claimants collected the jackpots, they allegedly retained a share and transferred the balance to accounts controlled by the lottery employees. Lottomatica cooperated with investigators and faces no accusations of wrongdoing, according to reporting by Casino.org.
Preserving the Element of Chance
On October 23, the Lazio branch of Italy’s Court of Auditors froze 25 properties across six provinces, five cars and motorcycles, and related financial holdings from the five alleged conspirators. The state maintains that the scheme removed chance from the lottery, diverting funds that might otherwise have remained unclaimed in public coffers.
The accused contested the claims during preliminary proceedings, yet prosecutors continued. A judge must now decide whether the asset freeze holds while the criminal case advances. This matter underscores the direct financial exposure when internal access to ticket distribution data is misused in state-managed lottery systems.
Reporting: Casino.org News
Generated by SCCG’s automated editorial system from published source reporting. SCCG Management holds editorial responsibility.
Gaming, betting and prediction markets — the desk’s read, every weekday.
Subscribe →