“Legalizing gambling in Italy was supposed to help curb the mafia. Unfortunately, prosecutors say, it has only created new opportunities for the mob. Cash-strapped Italian governments desperate for revenue have relaxed the rules on betting over the past two decades, to the point that Italians now wager $80 billion euros ($86 billion) a year – nearly equal to 5 percent of gross domestic product.”
Source: Mafia thrives on Italy’s legalized gambling addiction | Reuters