The gambling landscape in Europe is displaying sustained growth. In 2020, statistics indicated that the total revenue of the European gambling market amounted to 81.1 billion euros. Projections also foresaw an increase to 126.3 billion euros by 2026.
Europe has experienced notable expansion, mainly due to the surge in mobile gambling. The proliferation of online betting options is a key driver for the shift towards mobile gaming, allowing anyone to have a sportsbook accessible on their mobile device.
However, the popularity of mobile gambling can be attributed to more than just enhanced accessibility. External factors, such as heightened marketing efforts by companies promoting secure mobile betting apps, have significantly influenced this trend.
The gross gambling revenue from traditional offline gaming in Europe has consistently decreased since 2008, signaling a notable shift. It’s not just about the simultaneous growth of online betting alongside traditional brick-and-mortar operators; rather, online gambling infringes upon the market share of these traditional land-based establishments.
Premier League and Championship clubs’ heavy reliance on gambling sponsorships has led to concerns about excessive exposure, prompting voluntary measures to reduce gambling advertising. In the U.S., commercial gaming revenue hit a record of over $60 billion in 2022, yet illegal gambling remains substantial, resulting in revenue losses for casinos and states.
Mobile platforms take the lead
A sharp increase in mobile betting has accompanied the surge in online gambling. In 2022, over half of Europe’s online gross gambling revenue was generated from mobile platforms.
The distribution of betting preferences across various countries is intriguing. There’s a relatively equal division in the Czech Republic, with 40 percent dedicated to sports and casino betting and the remaining portion allocated to the lottery.
On the other hand, Austria shows a split of approximately 35 percent for sports betting and 45 percent for casino gambling. In Germany, the proportion devoted to sports betting is even lower, at about 30 percent.
Mobile wagering increased to 53 percent and desktop wagering dropped to 47 percent in 2022. Mobile usage has completely altered the landscape compared to desktop, and future projections only anticipate this gap to widen.
By 2026, mobile platforms are expected to host approximately 64 percent of all online wagering activity in Central Europe.
The expected revenue for Online Sports Betting in the European market in 2023 is set to reach US$15.50 billion, with an expected annual growth rate of 6.87% from 2023 to 2027, reaching a market volume of approximately US$20.22 billion by the latter year. Anticipated user numbers in the market are estimated to be around 42.6 million by 2027, with user penetration increasing from 4.2% in 2023 to an expected 5.0% in 2027.
Europe’s hidden equestrian gem
With Europe’s thriving gambling scene, which hosts some of the world’s most prestigious horse racing events, there’s another equestrian sport garnering attention—harness racing, also known as trotting. From England’s iconic Epsom Derby to the glamorous Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe in France, horse racing enthusiasts have a diverse array of events to attend.
One lesser-known equestrian sport outside of Europe is harness racing, also known as trotting. In this horse racing form, horses compete at a specific gait (trot or pace) while pulling a two-wheeled cart called a sulky. Betting on harness racing is quite popular in Europe and comes with various options, such as predicting the winning horse or the order of horses finishing a race.
People can place bets at the racecourse, betting locations, online betting websites, or mobile betting apps. Major harness racing events like the Prix d’Amérique in France and Elitloppet in Sweden attract much betting interest due to significant prize money.
The amount one can bet and the odds vary based on the race and betting platform. Experienced bettors use strategies like analyzing horse performance and track conditions to increase their chances of winning. Head to https://sportsbet.io/sports/harness/next-to-jump to explore more on harness betting.
The published material expresses the position of the author, which may not coincide with the opinion of the editor.