Europe’s Biggest iGaming Markets
Europe is into gambling in a big way, and this includes betting online, which has been growing for some time now. Here are some of the biggest markets for iGaming on the continent.
United Kingdom
Perhaps the first and most obvious of the top European iGaming markets are the United Kingdom. Not only is it a large country, one of the most populous on the continent, but the United Kingdom is also one of the leading online regulators of gambling (alongside Gibraltar and Malta). A wide variety of betting, both in-person and online, is permitted in the UK, which has generally been more open to online sports betting and online casinos than many of its neighbors across the Channel.
The UK Gambling Commission published figures in November 2021 that highlight the size of the nation’s gambling marketplace (although it’s worth noting the period covered included substantial effects of the COVID-19 pandemic and lockdown measures, factors which may also affect the other stats presented in this article). The total gross gambling yield (GGY) for the Remote Betting, Bingo & Casino Sector came in at £6.9bn and marked an 18.4% increase on the corresponding previous 12-month period, a spike perhaps encouraged by the lockdowns.
Online casinos were easily the biggest part of the remote betting sector, accounting for over half (£4bn) of GGY in the period covered. Within this, slots were far and away the most popular gaming activity, accounting for £2.9bn of GGY. This exceeded the sum total of remote sports betting, which came in at £2.6bn, with almost half (£1.2bn) being on soccer. Horse racing was also a substantial online sports betting category and came in at £856.1m.
The Best European Online Casinos
Europe has generally been perhaps the most pro-betting part of the world, so it’s no surprise to find there’s a staggering array of great online casinos that cater to players from all across Europe. This embarrassment of riches can lead to the awkward situation of delicious dishes but on a menu so vast picking what’s right becomes rather difficult. Fortunately, when on the hunt for the best European casino help is at hand. Just consult a list of these casinos to quickly find a short list of the top places to play for European bettors. The reviews within make it simple to compare match deposit and no deposit bonus offerings, software portfolios, and other factors such as available banking methods so you can easily find the right online betting establishment for your preferences.
Italy
Italians are known for their sense of flair, fun, and passion for sports, all of which lend themselves to an appreciation of betting. This includes the online world, and the figures do suggest this type of betting saw a growth spike as the pandemic affected brick-and-mortar establishments (it’s worth remembering Italy was one of the first and worst affected countries in Europe from the COVID-19 pandemic as they, unfortunately, encountered the disease before much was known about it).
In 2020, Italy saw online gross gaming revenue of €2.674bn, a rise of €800m on the previous year and twice the recent annual increase recorded in 2018 and 2019, implying that the lockdown impact helped to drive bettors into the online sphere. Wagers in 2020 for Italy’s online betting sector came in at €49.2bn. Sports betting was the second biggest online category, with wagers of €8.3bn in 2020, while card games and fixed odd games saw a massive increase in activity with total wagers up by €10bn year-on-year to €33bn.
Germany
As Europe’s largest and richest country, Germany is one of the most obvious lands to feature on this little list. The recent Interstate Treaty has updated Germany’s laws regarding betting and has made the market more open for business.
In 2019 the online casino market alone in Germany generated revenues of €2.2bn. Even before the pandemic struck, the nation’s online betting sector was showing very strong growth, with online casino activity growing by 10.6% and sports betting up by 18.6%. In addition, German online betting revenue is forecast to rise to €3.3bn in 2024, according to Goldmedia (a consulting and research firm).
Honorable Mention – France
France has a special place in gamblers’ hearts as it is the origin of a great many table game classics (such as roulette) which offer fantastically low house edges. It’s also one of the biggest betting markets in Europe, which is unsurprising given its large population.
For 2020, L’Autorité nationale des Jeux (ANJ) reported €1.74bn in online gambling revenues, a record for France. During this period, which saw huge turbulence due to the impact of the pandemic and then recovery in the latter half of the year, sports betting saw growth of 6.8% up to €940m. Total wagers clocked in at a healthy €5.49bn, with €663m being wagered on events within France. Horse racing revenue saw particularly dramatic growth, up 30.6% to some €354m. But even this was a small rise compared to the 64% revenue increase enjoyed by poker (up to €446m).
And that wraps up our look at the biggest European iGaming markets, with an additional look at France, the birthplace of many a famous table game.
