Online gambling sector in Europe contributes significantly, accounting for approximately 40% of the global market share, according to a recent EGBA report.
Unleashing Online Gambling's Domination in Europe
The European Betting and Gaming Association (EGBA) in collaboration with H2 Gambling Capital released an enlightening report on the European online gaming market, shedding light on the roaring gambling industry within the continent.
Embracing an Online-Centric Future
The report revealed that Europe's thriving gambling market surpassed €123.4bn in gross gaming revenue in 2024, marking a 5% increase from the previous year.
Dubbed the "European Gambling Market - Key Figures 2025 Edition," the report offered intriguing insights on the European market, encompassing the gambling markets of the EU-27 and UK, focusing on current results and outlining future trends.
One striking change in 2024 was the continuous rise in online gambling revenue, which skyrocketed to €47.9bn last year, outpacing land-based gambling's revenue generation of €75.5bn while capturing a noteworthy 40% share of the market.
In a statement, EGBA Secretary General Maarten Haijer highlighted the significant demonstration of momentum in the industry, emphasizing that even though both sectors continued to grow, online gambling appeared to be gaining the upper hand.
"The European gambling market has demonstrated steadfast growth in 2024, with online gambling showing a stronger momentum overall. By 2025, we project online gambling to cross the 40% market share milestone and continue its upward trajectory in the following years, potentially achieving near parity with land-based gambling by 2029," he stated.
In the interim, the land-based market share shrank slightly, reducing from 63% to 61%, even though consolidations aimed at bolstering revenue and preserving the allure of in-person gambling persisted, the report indicated. Whether it’s online or land-based, 2024 stood as a triumphant year for the gambling industry in Europe.
Lottery Leading the Pack
Lottery generated approximately €38bn in revenue, with €30.9bn stemming from brick-and-mortar stores and the remaining €7.1bn attributed to online platforms. Next in line were casino games, raking in a collective revenue of €30bn, with €21.5bn accrued online and €8.5bn generated by land-based operations.
Europe’s Gambling Market Share by Activity
- Lottery
- Casino games
- Gaming machines
- Sports and events betting
Gaming machines secured €24.9bn exclusively from the land-based sector, the report detailed. Closing the rankings was sports and events betting, contributing €20.1bn of the total revenue, with a significant portion of sports betting stakes executed online, amounting to €13.7bn.
The report estimated that the European gambling market would persevere its growth in 2025, projected to reach a total gross gaming revenue of €127.7bn, corresponding to a 3.5% increase from the previous year. Online gambling's revenue was forecasted to reach €51.1bn, represented by a 40.1% share of the market.
In the meantime, the report predicted land-based gross gaming revenue to touch €76.6bn in 2025. As for longer-term projections, by 2029 the European gambling market is expected to flourish into a €149.2bn powerhouse, with online betting anticipated to account for €66.8bn of the total amount.
Image credit: Unsplash.com
Insights from the Enrichment Data:
- The European Gambling Market Report claims that online gambling will account for roughly 40% of the market by 2029, while the exact figures for 2029 exclusive market shares aren't explicitly provided. However, from the available data, online gambling is projected to reach a €19bn Gross Gaming Revenue by 2029, while online casinos might surpass €31bn (combining both online and land-based projections, as precise 2029 splits are unspecified).
- Regulatory changes, such as cross-operator deposit limits and problem gambling algorithms in Spain, might impact the way operators function in the market, potentially diverted some activity online.
- Italy remains the second-largest online gambling market in Europe, showcasing regional disparities in digital adoption.
- By 2029, online gambling is projected to account for approximately 40% of the European gambling market, with online casinos potentially surpassing €31bn in total revenue, combining both online and land-based projections.
- In the European Gambling Market, lottery generated approximately €38bn in revenue, with €30.9bn from brick-and-mortar stores and the remaining €7.1bn from online platforms.
- Casino games were the second-highest revenue generators, collecting a total of €30bn, with €21.5bn accrued online and €8.5bn generated by land-based operations.
- Gaming machines secured €24.9bn exclusively from the land-based sector, according to the report.
- Sports and events betting contributed €20.1bn to the total revenue, with a significant portion of sports betting stakes executed online, amounting to €13.7bn.
