Online gambling on the rise in Lithuania
A new survey from the local gaming regulator shows that online gambling activity in Lithuania has doubled in the past two years.
Lithuania.- A new survey from the Gaming Control Authority in Lithuania shows that online gambling activity in the territory has doubled in the past two years. These results come despite a decline in the number of residents interested in online gambling.
The regulatory authority said that in September 2019, 10% of local residents said that they had gambled, while 13% had said the same thing two years before. The survey shows that men under 29 are more prone to gamble, lrt.it reported.
The survey revealed that online gambling is still as popular as ever, just three years after its legalisation in Lithuania. From 2017 to 2019, online gambling activity rose from 16% to 30%. The average spending on online gambling or when visiting a land-based casino is €20.
Moreover, it was revealed that when gambling for the first time, Lithuanian people prefer to do it at a slot machine. The percentage increased from 26% in 2017 to 34% in 2019. Casinos come in second place but with a decrease from 25% to 22%, while betting shops totalled 19% in 2019.
Local gaming market posted good results in H1
The online gambling revenue in the European country rose to €17.5 million in the first six months of the year. Online casino revenue totalled €6.4 million in H1, which is approximately €2.6 million higher than what was reported in 2018.
Remote betting was the leading vertical in the six-month period, with revenue increasing €2.3 million from 2018 to €10.4 million. The online market, which had six active operators during that period, saw players spend €271 million on iGaming. The figure increased by approximately €16 million from €255 million in 2018.
Land-based also managed to post positive results during that period. Revenue rose from €33.7 million in 1H18 to €34.6 million in 1H19. Table games generated €8.6 million of that revenue, a slight increase from 2018. Furthermore, while sports betting did not have the same luck as it posted a €200k decline.
