Italian betting seen up 8.6 pct in H1-report

MILAN, June 26 (Reuters) - Italy's gamblers wagered 26.114 billion euros ($36.38 billion) in the first six months of the year, Agipronews news agency said on Friday, with the first-half rise of 8.6 percent lower than the official 9.5 percent recorded for the first five months of the year.

Lottomatica-run (LTO.MI) Lotto game bets were down 4.9 percent in the first half at 2.850 billion euros and its scratch card bets up 4.8 percent at 5.085 billion euros, according to Agipronews.

Italy's state monopoly AAMS, which regulates gaming in the country, is due to publish its official data around July 10.

A Milan analyst who follows Lottomatica said the Agipronews estimates confirmed recent trends and the slightly slower estimated rise could be due to specific factors in games in June.

At 1224 GMT shares in Lottomatica were up 0.06 percent at 15.47 euros while sports and horserace betting company SNAI's (SNAI.MI) shares were up 0.27 percent at 2.8075 euros. ($1=.7177 euros) (Reporting by Nigel Tutt; Editing by Greg Mahlich)