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EGBA Annual Report and the Key Findings

With another year behind us, the European Gaming and Betting Association (EGBA) has released its annual report. This highly anticipated document was created in partnership with H2 Gambling Capital, a company specializing in gambling market analysis. So, what did 2021 look like for the industry? Well, according to the report that includes EU-27 and the UK, the total gambling revenue was up by 7.5%. Meanwhile, gross gaming revenue reached €87.2 billion – but that was still not enough to surpass the pre-covid numbers. Compared to 2019 stats, then, the total market revenue was down by 13%.

Why is 2019 an Unreachable Goal? 

Even though the numbers presented in the report are highly encouraging, it is obvious that the gambling industry is still fighting the consequences of the global pandemic that began taking effect in 2020. Customers still haven’t returned to land-based establishments in quite the same numbers as pre-pandemic years. For example, EGBA mentions the revenue at brick-and-mortar shops and venues is down by a shocking 32% in comparison with 2019. 

Still, the online gambling industry is still holding its own. In fact, we dare to say that things are better than ever. According to the study, the industry is progressing fast and shows no signs of stopping. The online gambling industry is expected to grow at an astonishing rate of 9% per year! EGBA predicts that in 2026, online gaming will make 46% of the total revenue. This sounds pretty impressive, especially knowing that, in 2019, it contributed only 26%. 

Just like elsewhere in the world, it seems that Europeans prefer to gamble on mobile devices. More than half (or 50.5%, to be exact) of all bets were placed via mobile phones. This is the first time in history that mobile gaming surpassed the good old desktop access. The association is sure mobile gaming will be responsible for 61.5% of all bets in 2026. 

EGBA Annual Report and the Key Findings

The Role of EGBA Members

EGBA also provided some information about its members. The list includes some of the biggest and most renowned companies in the world, including Betsson Group and Kindred Group, amongst other heavyweights. The members were catering to the needs of the astonishing 29 million online customers and were in charge of 36% of total European iGaming revenue. These companies processed 97.1 billion bets in the past year alone. These bets were worth €179 billion. In total, their customers won €168.1 billion. 

Sports are the most popular gambling product in Europe and account for 40% of the market. Live betting is in decline, as 54% of all bets were placed as pre-match wagers. Other popular genres are casino games (34%) and lottery (17%), while most other types of gambling aren’t as popular. Most online gamblers come from Sweden and Denmark, closely followed by players from the UK and Finland. Surprisingly, Romania and Estonia took fourth and fifth place respectively. The lowest number of online casino and sports customers can be found in Spain, Italy, and Slovenia.

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Borina Kopcic Pandur
Borina Kopcic Pandur
Published: 20 Jan 2022
Updated: 13 Mar 2023
Borina Kopcic Pandur is a skilled and imaginative writer with years of experience in the gambling industry. As a writer for GoodLuckMate, she specializes in crafting detailed and engaging casino reviews that offer a fresh perspective on online gambling. With her unique writing style and profound industry knowledge, she provides readers with expert evaluations and insightful perspectives.

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