Sweden Leads the EU Charge in Online Casino Market Share

The European Online Gambling Key Figures 2022 publication by the European Gaming and Betting Association (EGBA) and H2 Gambling Capital (H2GC) provided an interesting breakdown of how much market share online casino holds across the continent.

Given that historically European gambling was limited to land-based venues or sports betting, this digital games of chance perspective speaks volumes of the power of regulation, internet penetration, mobile usage, and the advancements in the online casino experience, including live casino games.

Online Casino Market Share

The data shows how easy it is to lose sight of user engagement and the entertainment value of casino games when the default setting for industry reporting focuses on the regions that generate the most GGR.

As you can see from the H2GC reports, online casino games dominate the Swedish market, making up 80% of its annual gambling, followed by Latvia and Lithuania at 75% and 63%, respectively. However, all three of these regions generate less than €3 billion in gaming revenue annually, which is why their love of games of chance goes largely unrecognised.

Online gambling is a for-profit industry, so operators looking to expand their reach will often focus on regions like Germany, Italy, and Spain. Despite less than 30% online casino penetration in these countries, they generate approximately €12 billion, €16 billion, and €7 billion in annual GGR.

 Market Share by Gambling Type

The H2GC report delves into the various forms of gambling that Europeans enjoyed in the past two years. However, it showcases the GGR for each product as a contribution to 100% of the region’s annual GGR.

Here are some of the notes we made looking at the gambling products that various countries spend their time and money on:

• Sports betting dominates local gambling spending in Cyprus (79%), Malta (68%), Slovak Republic (65%), Romania (63%), and Poland (60%).
• Bingo has an established foothold in Belgium with 21%, Ireland with 12%, and Luxembourg with 10%.
• Poker has a solid player base in France with 11%, Ireland with 10%, and the Netherlands with 9%.

It was interesting to see that H2GC reported casino GGR for Cyprus and France despite both countries' games of chance being prohibited. According to the data provider, these stats show that Cypriot and French casino players contribute 15% and 13% of their respective country's annual GGR by playing at offshore gaming sites.