Last week, Italy passed a law making cash poker games and casino games legal in the country. The law includes many clear regulations aimed at keeping the games fair and preventing addictive gambling behaviors.

A new law has just been passed in Italy allowing existing gambling operators to now offer cash poker and casino games.

Italy will impose a 20% gross profits tax on cash poker and casino games. The country is also imposing a maximum buy-in allowed of €250 on online skill games, including online poker, played on "totems" or public terminals. In addition the law requires that 90% of the money taken in through these games at the casinos be paid back out to players as winnings. There will be a €1,000 max initial stake imposed for each session or table, meaning that players will need to reload funds from their account if they run out of their first €1,000.

Multi-level tournaments, in which a qualifier tournament winner can apply their winnings toward the buy-in of a bigger tournament, are now allowed in cash poker and casino games as well.

This comes at a perfect time for the country, as Italy has just been revealed by a third-party gaming authority as Europe's leading online gambling market. Legalized online gambling, including online casino games and online poker, is being rolled out in Italy as of the first of January, 2011. Several leading online casinos and online poker rooms with operations in Europe already are seeking licenses to add Italians to their player base.