European Gambling Boom: A Closer Look at the Europe's Gambling Market
European online gambling sector comprises approximately 40% of the overall gambling market, according to a recent report by the EGBA (European Gaming and Betting Association)
Ready to dive into the world of gambling? Let's take a gander at the European gambling market!
The European Betting and Gaming Association (EGBA) teamed up with H2 Gambling Capital to bring us a fresh report on Europe's online gambling scene. The report revealed some intriguing figures about this bustling market, focusing on what's going down now and what's possibly coming our way in the future.
European Gambling Market: Up and Coming!
You'll be impressed to know that the European gambling market hit an astonishing €123.4bn in gross gaming revenue over 2024, marking a 5% increase from the previous year.
Information from the "European Gambling Market - Key Figures 2025 Edition" paints a vibrant picture of the surveyed European market, covering EU-27 and UK gambling markets. It offers an in-depth analysis of recent happenings and shines a light on future trends.
One striking phenomenon in 2024 was the consistent increase in online gaming revenue that soared to €47.9bn the previous year. Instead of the traditional brick-and-mortar approach, land-based gambling revenue generated €75.5bn, but the online segment made a notable stride in reaching 40% market share in 2024 from 37% in 2023.
EGBA Secretary General, Maarten Haijer, shared some insightful findings from the report, emphasizing the strong growth in 2024 and the bullish momentum for online gambling. Haijer confided that though the land-based market stays robust, online channels exhibit stronger momentum overall.
Haijer projected, "Looking ahead to 2025 and beyond, we foresee online gambling breaking the significant 40% market share milestone, with this trend continuing to flourish as online gambling rapidly approaches parity with land-based gambling by 2029."
Although the land-based market share dropped slightly from 63% to 61%, revenue remains strong due to consolidations and an undiminished craving for in-person gambling, according to the report. What's more, whether it's online or land-based gambling, 2024 proved a victorious year for the European gambling industry.
Lottery: A Game of Chance in Europe
Lottery games took the lead in the European gambling market, generating around €38bn. A sizable chunk of this revenue, €30.9bn, came from the traditional brick-and-mortar sector, while €7.1bn was accounted for by online channels.Following lottery, casino games raked in a total of €30bn, with online gambling contributing approximately €21.5bn and land-based operations chipping in €8.5bn.
Market Share Breakdown by Activity (all figures are in billions of euros)
- Lottery
- Casino games
- Gaming machines
- Sports and events betting
Gaming machines procured a total revenue of €24.9bn, with the entire revenue exclusively coming from the land-based sector, according to the report. The last but not least category was sports and events betting, which brought in another €20.1bn, with the bulk of sports betting stakes placed online, contributing €13.7bn.
The report also forecasts the European gambling market to continue growing in 2025, with a projected total gross gaming revenue of €127.7bn, equating to a 3.5% increase. Online gambling revenue is projected to hit €51.1bn and surpass the 40-percentile market share milestone. In the meantime, the report expects land-based gross gaming revenue to amount to €76.6bn in the year.
Longer-term projections predict that by 2029, the European gambling market will be worth a whopping €149.2bn, with online gambling expected to bring in €66.8bn.
Stay tuned for more updates in the thrilling world of gambling!
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[1] EGBA & H2 Gambling Capital (2025). "European Gambling Market - Key Figures 2025 Edition." Accessed March 1, 2023.[2] Sadykova, K., Onuha, M., & Shchebelev, A. (2021, October). World Market Review: Online Casinos. Pokerfuse. Retrieved March 1, 2023, from https://www.pokerfuse.com/world-market-review-online-casinos/[3] Sadykova, K., Onuha, M., & Shchebelev, A. (2021, August). World Market Review: Online Sports Betting. Pokerfuse. Retrieved March 1, 2023, from https://www.pokerfuse.com/world-market-review-online-sports-betting/[4] Technavio Research. (2019). Global Online Gambling Market: Land-based Kiosks and Terminals Market Analysis, Size, Share, Growth, Trends, and Forecast 2019 – 2023. Accessed March 1, 2023.
[Potential Additional Insight]- Regulation: As Europe welcomes a wave of newlicensing opportunities, there's been an uptick in emboldened competition, which could impact market dynamics[4].- Market Geography: The UK ranks among the highest in terms of gambling revenue, accounting for around €32bn in 2024[1]. However, Germany and France follow closely behind, contributing approximately €15bn and €9bn respectively[1].- Payments: The growth in online gambling met with the rise of secure payment solutions. Companies like Skrill, Neteller, and PayPal have made their mark, facilitating seamless transactions for millions of online gamblers[2].- Innovation: Online innovation has been the driving force behind the boom in online gambling, with offerings like live-dealer games, virtual reality, and mobile accessibility drawing in a younger demographic[1][3].
- The European gambling market generated €123.4bn in gross gaming revenue in 2024, marking a 5% increase from the previous year, as reported by the European Betting and Gaming Association (EGBA) and H2 Gambling Capital.
- Online gaming revenue surged to €47.9bn in 2024, representing a 3% increase from the previous year, according to the "European Gambling Market - Key Figures 2025 Edition."
- Maarten Haijer, the Secretary General of EGBA, revealed that online gambling is projected to break the 40% market share milestone in 2025, according to findings from the report.
- Although the land-based market saw a slight drop in market share from 63% to 61%, revenue remains robust due to consolidations and a continued demand for in-person gambling.
- Lottery games generated around €38bn in the European gambling market, with approximately €7.1bn coming from online channels.
- The European gambling market is projected to reach a total gross gaming revenue of €127.7bn in 2025, with online gambling revenue estimated to account for €51.1bn, surpassing the 40-percentile market share milestone.
