One of the continents to grow revenues fastest from online gambling is Europe.
That is because of several reasons. For instance, several countries in Europe are pro-gambling, especially the online kind.
Also, many of them have already been pro to gambling markets offline. One such country is the UK.
For all such reasons, the gaming revenue in gross figures was about 81.1 billion Euros in 2020.
There are several casino group companies which have a distinct European presence. For instance, L&L Europe Ltd casinos.
In the sections below we discover key facts about the gambling market in Europe.
We also look at the trending online casino sites that are favourites of the Europeans.
Gambling market size – facts for the European market
Several countries in Europe are known for their pro-gambling laws.
As a result, there is considerable growth in both offline and online gambling activities in these countries. Among them, the United Kingdom is the highest.
After that comes Italy, France, Germany and Spain. It is estimated that revenue from gambling will increase in the coming years.
For instance, it is forecasted to reach 126.3 billion by the year 2026.
Online gambling contributes to revenue
One of the key factors that contribute to the rise in gambling revenue is online casinos.
The domains that cater to Europeans for online gambling are on the rise. Today this market is largely digitised.
Hence, Europeans do not need to wait to visit a gambling parlour to play their favourite games.
Most online casinos offer a variety of games. These include poker, lottery, bingo, slots, table games and sports betting.
Online casinos started to gain popularity around 2019. Since then the growth trend has continued. By 2021 sports betting came to the forefront of online gambling activities.
Today it accounts for 40% of the total gambling revenue that online casinos generate. This is especially the trend across Europe.
After sports betting, casino games take the second largest share. That is, the online market for gambling is popular for table games as well.
This accounts for 34 per cent of the revenues that casino sites generate in this continent.
Trends in the UK – largest market for gambling in the UK
Until the beginning of 2020, the revenues were higher for non-remote betting activities in Great Britain. It was £629.26million for the financial year 2020.
This shows how popular the different casinos and sports booking venues are for Britons. Indeed, this European country is known for its bookmaking activities.
That is, horse races and betting on the same have been popular here since the 17th century.
Hence, this country has also been one of the forerunners in online gambling. UKGC is one of the first gambling licensing bodies to start operations.
It has been instrumental in licensing many websites in this domain. That is, most of the early websites with legitimate gambling started with UKGC licenses.
Besides UKGC, there are several other licensing bodies that license British and European casino sites. For instance, Curacao and Malta Gaming Authorities.
These licensing bodies make it easy and transparent for companies to get licenses. As a result, many casino groups have become operational.
They provide umbrella coverage for many international casino sites. Most of them have a license to operate in most of the European countries.
Popular casino sites in Europe
While the list of casino sites in Europe is numerous, some are more popular than others. That is mainly because they are long-standing.
That is, they have gained a good reputation and reliability among the customers. This is mainly due to the choice of games, bonuses, payment options and other factors.
Some of the trending and popular casino sites of Europe, as of 2023, are:
- PlayOJO
- Jackpot City
- Spin casino
- Bitstarz
- Platin casino
- Luckster
And several others.
Reasons for Popularity
There are several reasons why these casino sites are popular today.
PlayOJO
This particular casino site is top of the list, especially in the European market today.
That is mainly because of the large variety of casino games. Its current games catalogue includes over 3200 games.
This website accepts players from most countries in Europe. It also offers bonuses without wagering terms.
Spin Casino
This is yet another casino site that dates back to 2001.
Today it has a loyal clientele who are regular members. They can spin about 1000 titles in slots and table games.
Also, they can gain benefits from the loyalty program it offers.
Jackpot City
Jackpot City casino is popular, especially for its jackpot slots.
That is, it has a large collection of progressive slots. There is a loyalty program as well. Customers can try a multi-tier welcome bonus scheme to get started.
Final Thoughts
The gambling market in Europe is large, especially with online casinos. Revenues are on the rise as legitimate sites continue to grow.
Europeans can gamble online as well as visit their favourite offline casinos. All these aspects make Europe a safe gambling destination for many.