This article critically analyses the role of Italian public administrations within the national anti-money laundering prevention framework, with particular attention to local authorities and public expenditure. The pivotal step in constructing the current special regime for public administrations is the 2017 reform. The analysis combines its legislative history with institutional evidence through the first half of 2026, distinguishing formal access to the channel for communications concerning suspicious transactions from organisational activation and effective co-operation. Against this background, the new EU AML/CFT legislative framework adopted in 2024 is examined as an opportunity to reassess the place of anti-money laundering within public administration.