Italian Lottery: How Much Do You Really Win After Paying Taxes?

Beyond the hope of winning, many Italians wonder whether the prizes of the Italian Lottery , held annually on January 6th, are taxed, and more importantly, how much the winner must pay. In reality, the prizes awarded, whether the daily prizes of €10,000 or €20,000, or the top-tier prizes that can reach several million, are net, meaning they correspond exactly to the amount announced. There are no withholding taxes or additional levies: the winner receives the entire sum, without having to repay anything to the state.

Why the Italian Lottery is different from other games

Unlike other types of prize games or contests, where winnings may be subject to taxes or withholdings , the Italian Lottery is an exception. Prizes are already taxed at source through the management of the game by the Customs and Monopolies Agency (ADM) , which pays them directly on a net basis.

This means the winner won't have to declare the sum for personal income tax (IRPEF) purposes or pay any additional taxes. In short, if a player wins a daily prize or the main prizes from the January 6th draw, they'll receive the full amount without any deductions.

How to claim a winning ticket

After the official publication of the Bulletin of winning tickets on the website of the Customs and Monopolies Agency (www.adm.gov.it), the winners have 180 days to submit the claim .

For paper tickets, players must present the original, intact coupon to the Lotterie Nazionali SpA Prize Office, located at Viale del Campo Boario 56/D, Rome, or hand it in at an Intesa Sanpaolo branch, which will issue a receipt and forward the claim to the Prize Office. Players must present:

• a valid identity document;
• the tax code;
• the IBAN code of the bank or postal account to which the winnings will be credited.

The winner can choose the payment method between:

• cashier's check to be collected at Intesa Sanpaolo;
• credit to bank account;
• credit to postal current account.

For tickets purchased online, the procedure is similar but must be initiated by the holder of the gaming account used for the purchase.

What happens if the prize is not collected?

If the winner does not submit a claim within 180 days of publication of the Official Bulletin, the right to the prize will be forfeited. Any unclaimed funds will be retained by the State and returned to the Treasury budget.

Payment times for winnings

The official rules of the Italian Lottery require payments to be made relatively quickly. For daily prizes, the check or account credit is processed within 45 days of submitting the claim request.

As for the prizes for the final draw on January 6, 2026, payments will be completed within 45 days of the date on which the Customs and Monopolies Agency makes the necessary funds available.