Lithuania: GGR down 15.9% in H1 as online grows

Online gaming overtook land-based revenue for the first time due to the pandemic. 

Lithuania.- Online revenue overtook land-based revenue for the first time in H1 as total gross gaming revenue fell to €43.8million due to the impact of the pandemic.

Players wagered €540million, an increase of 6.8 per cent on H1 2019, but an increased proportion of revenue came from online slots with their lower margins, resulting in a decline of 15.9 per cent in GGR. 

Online stakes increased 49.9 per cent to €407.1million, bringing in revenue of €23.4million – up 33.9 per cent.

Slots were the main driving force. Unlimited Category A slots accounted for just over half of that at €12million, up 86.8 per cent, after stakes increased 182.9 per cent to €208.9million.

Category B slots, which have a stake limit of €0.50, saw revenue grow by 38.9% to €570,000. Stakes increased 46% to €4.9million.

Revenue from remote table games, which have higher margins, grew 87.2 per cent to €359,000. Revenue from online sports betting barely changed year-on-year despite the interruption of sports events. Revenue dipped only 0.1 per cent to €10.4million.

Land-based venues, which were closed for two months from March 16 to May 17 and faced limited opening times afterwards, saw revenue plummet 41 per cent to €20.4million.

At land-based venues, category B slots accounted for the biggest proportion of revenue, down 40.3 per cent to €9.2million. Revenue from category A slots dropped 34.6 per cent to €3.8million and table revenue fell 43.5 per cent to €4.8million.

The Lithuania Gambling Authority last month warned poker schools over the use of illegal online poker sites on training courses.