Claudio Lotito (born 9 May 1957 in Rome, Italy) is an Italian entrepreneur, politician, and football executive. He holds a degree in pedagogy with highest honors from Sapienza University of Rome and has a background as a publicist journalist. Before entering football, he built a business empire in cleaning, maintenance, and security services, founding S.N.A.M. Lazio Sud in 1987, followed by firms such as Bona Dea, Linda Aurora, Bonadea, and Roman Junior Security.
In football, Lotito famously rescued S.S. Lazio from bankruptcy in July 2004, acquiring the club and stabilizing its finances. Under his presidency, Lazio won three Coppa Italia titles (2009, 2013, 2019) and three Supercoppa Italiana titles. He also owned Salernitana from 2011 to 2021, guiding the club from Serie D to Serie A before being forced to sell due to multi-club ownership rules. Lotito is a controversial figure in Italian football, admired for fiscal turnaround but criticized for conflicts of interest involving his related companies.
Politically, he was elected as a Senator for the Molise constituency in October 2022 under the Forza Italia banner. In the iGaming/gambling space, his relevance stems from Lazio's commercial partnerships with betting and prediction market platforms such as Polymarket (a blockchain-based prediction market). His club's sponsorship deals place him at the intersection of traditional football and the evolving iGaming/gambling industry.
Career History
| Company | Role | Dates |
|---|---|---|
| SS Lazio | President and Chairman of the Management Board | – present |