Are native Italian groups big into this in either Italy or other countries. Seems to me it's one of american cosa nostra main sources of income but I don't read much of it from those groups.

Yes,the oc groups force the bars or other activities to use their slot machines but the most source of income is (apart the drugs) the loansharking.

gambling is a huge source for italian oc, it controls tons of bets points, slot machines, video-poker, online gaming etc.

The Sicilians were big in gambling for a while but not in bookmaking or other traditional American games. They had clubs with. advice game who's name I can't recall (Barbuit?) until they faded out. Arabs were also big in it, along with a small handful of Greeks. It is only one aspect of gambling, but was said to be a big money maker for those running the games. I'm speaking about in America, as for Italy they most likely rung everything there.