Italian authorities seize €25 million in alleged scratchcard fraud scheme
Five former gaming concessionaire employees face allegations of exploiting system access to identify winning Gratta e Vinci tickets in advance.
Italian authorities have uncovered a suspected fraud scheme involving Gratta e Vinci scratchcards and seized over €25 million ($27.98 million) in assets from five former employees of a gaming concessionaire. The investigation was conducted by the Guardia di Finanza this week.
Alleged scheme details
Prosecutors allege that the five individuals exploited privileged system access to identify winning tickets in advance, effectively bypassing the game’s intended randomness. The concessionaire company itself faced no accusations.
The five former employees allegedly identified four winning scratchcards ahead of their distribution to the public, with two tickets holding prizes of €7 million each and two worth €5 million apiece.
The accused are said to have used confidential credentials to access and manipulate the gaming company’s servers, allowing them to inspect or alter data and pinpoint winning tickets before retail sale.
Distribution and asset seizure
The identified winning tickets were allegedly purchased by friends and relatives from multiple retail outlets across Italy to obscure the fraudulent origin and complicate traceability.
Assets seized include 25 properties, numerous vehicles and various financial holdings connected to the suspects.
The five former employees currently under investigation face multiple charges linked to the fraud, as authorities intensify efforts to ensure integrity within Italy’s lottery and gaming sectors.
Sources
- iGaming Business · Industry media · primary source ·
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