Novomatic (Admiral Pay)
- Founded
- 2018-01-01 in Italy
- Headquarters
- Rimini, Italy
ADMIRAL Pay is the regulated payment institute of the NOVOMATIC Italia Group, authorized by the Bank of Italy since 2018. It provides a suite of digital payment and financial solutions tailored for gaming operators, retail merchants, and consumers. The institute's platform enables secure, instant, and traceable transactions, supporting compliance with Italy's regulated gaming market. Key products include the APay E‑Wallet mobile app launched in 2022, which offers an IBAN account for deposits, withdrawals, and everyday payments, as well as the APay Card and APay Station self‑service kiosk. ADMIRAL Pay's B2B payment platform integrates with NOVOMATIC Italia's Quigioco online gaming platform for seamless cash management. The institute is part of the wider NOVOMATIC Group, a global gaming technology leader with revenue of approximately €3.6 billion in 2025 and operations in about 50 countries. In 2025, ADMIRAL Pay was awarded 'B2B Industry Leader Italy' at the SiGMA B2B Awards, highlighting its role in digital payment innovation for the gaming sector.
Detailed Review
Founding and Regulatory Standing
ADMIRAL Pay was established in 2018 as the payment institute of NOVOMATIC Italia, a subsidiary of the Austrian gaming giant NOVOMATIC AG. It is authorized under Articles 114‑sexies of Legislative Decree No. 385/1993 and registered in the special register of the Bank of Italy. This regulatory framework ensures compliance with anti-money laundering and consumer protection standards, allowing ADMIRAL Pay to operate as a trusted payment services provider in Italy's tightly controlled gaming market.
Products and Platforms
The institute offers a range of digital payment solutions. The APay E‑Wallet, launched in 2022, provides users with a digital wallet and an associated IBAN for deposits, withdrawals, peer-to-peer transfers, and everyday payments with no daily thresholds. The APay Card is a physical and virtual card linked to the wallet. For retail and gaming venues, the APay Station acts as a self-service kiosk for digital payments. On the B2B side, ADMIRAL Pay provides an API-based payment platform that supports gaming operators with instant transaction processing and compliance with Italian Punti Vendita Ricarica (PVR) regulations. The payment infrastructure is deeply integrated into NOVOMATIC Italia's Quigioco online gaming platform, enabling seamless cash-in and cash-out for players.
Business Model and Revenue
ADMIRAL Pay generates revenue through transaction fees, service commissions, and value-added services. It serves both B2B clients—gaming operators, betting shops, retail chains—and B2C end-users via its digital wallet and merchant network. The institute's services include phone top-ups, bill payments, PagoPA services, car vignettes, and PIN products, available through affiliated merchants and large retail chains. This dual-channel model leverages the extensive ADMIRAL retail network of over 300 arcades, 40 bingo halls, and 130 franchised betting shops across Italy.
Recent Milestones and Industry Recognition
In 2025, ADMIRAL Pay was awarded "B2B Industry Leader Italy" at the SiGMA B2B Awards, a testament to its influence in digital payments for gaming. The same year, at SiGMA Central Europe, the company showcased the integration of Quigioco with ADMIRAL Pay, highlighting the synergy between online gaming and payment technology. The launch of the APay E‑Wallet in 2022 marked a significant step into mobile-first financial services, and the institute continues to expand its product offerings to meet evolving regulatory and consumer demands.
Key Products
APay E‑Wallet
A mobile digital wallet launched in 2022 that enables users to manage payments, reload gaming accounts, collect winnings, and deposit/withdraw funds with no transaction thresholds.
APay Card
A physical or virtual prepaid card linked to the ADMIRAL Pay ecosystem for everyday transactions and gaming payments.
B2B Payment Solutions
Integrated cash‑to‑digital conversion and transaction processing systems for gaming operators, including POS terminals, real‑time settlement, and compliance management.
Quigioco Integration
A combined platform (Quigioco online gaming + ADMIRAL Pay) that provides a fully regulated payment and gaming ecosystem for Italian operators.
Consumer Payment Services
Phone top‑ups, PIN‑based products, bill payments, MAV/RAV, car vignettes, PagoPA gaming account services, and more, available through a network of affiliated merchants and large retail chains.
ADMIRAL Pay (Istituto di Pagamento)
Regulated payment institution authorised by the Bank of Italy; provides B2B payment infrastructure for gaming operators and B2C services.
APay E-Wallet
Mobile digital wallet (launched 2022) for managing payments, reloads, winnings, and money transfers with no thresholds.
Quigioco (integrated partner)
Online gaming platform of NOVOMATIC Italia; ADMIRAL Pay provides the payment layer for cash top-ups and withdrawals at PVRs.
PagoPA / MAV/RAV / Bill Payments
Standard Italian bill payment and public administration services offered through the merchant network.
Phone Top-Ups & PIN Products
Mobile recharge and prepaid product distribution via retail partners.
APay Station
Self-service kiosk for digital payments, suitable for retail and gaming venues.
B2B Payment Platform
API-based transaction processing platform for gaming operators, supporting compliance with Italian PVR regulations.
Quigioco
NOVOMATIC Italia's online casino and sportsbook platform, integrated with ADMIRAL Pay for cash management.
Key Persons
Markus BuecheleCEO of NOVOMATIC Italia