SBC Summit Europe | 19-21 April 2027 | RAI Amsterdam
Put Europe’s online gambling markets side by side, and there is no obvious pattern.
Casino accounts for 73% of online gambling revenue in Malta and 72% in Estonia. In Cyprus, however, 74% comes from sports and events betting. Products that are niche in some markets, like lottery and bingo, represent huge tranches in others, such as lottery representing 37% of Germany’s online gambling market and bingo representing 22% of Belgium’s.
Same continent. Very different gambling markets.
Part of that comes down to what people choose to play. But regulation matters too. Online casino is prohibited in France and Cyprus, for example, immediately changing the range of products available to customers and the businesses operators can build.
Ahead of SBC Summit Europe, we take a closer look at what is driving those differences and why understanding the structure of individual markets matters for businesses operating across the continent.
With casino, sportsbook and lottery occupying very different positions from one country to the next, a clearer picture of each market can help operators, suppliers and affiliates better understand where opportunities lie and why there is no single formula for succeeding across Europe.
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Casino Can Dominate One Market and Barely Exist in Another
Few products show the differences between European markets as clearly as online casino.
According to the European Gaming and Betting Association (EGBA) figures for 2023, casino generated 73% of online gambling revenue in Malta, 72% in Estonia, and 63% in Latvia.
It is also the biggest online gambling product across Europe as a whole, accounting for 45% of online GGR in 2024, ahead of sports and events betting at 29%.
And in some of Europe’s biggest regulated markets, the amount of money involved is substantial.
In Great Britain, online casino generated £5.7 billion in gross gambling yield between April 2025 and March 2026, with slots alone contributing £4.8 billion. To put that into perspective, that’s more than twice the £2.4 billion generated by online and other remote betting.
Spain shows a similar pattern. Online casino generated €247.7 million in Q1 2026, representing 54.5% of regulated online gambling revenue, with revenue rising 21.7% year-on-year.
In Denmark, online casino became the country’s largest gambling sector by revenue in 2025, overtaking monopoly lotteries for the first time.
But cross a border, and the picture can change dramatically.
Online casinos are prohibited in France and Cyprus, while Germany places tighter restrictions on the product. EGBA notes that the casino figures recorded for France and Cyprus in its comparison relate to offshore activity rather than locally licensed online casinos.
That helps explain why looking only at the European average can be misleading. Casino may be the continent’s biggest online gambling product overall, but that tells an operator relatively little about the opportunity in a specific country.
Sports Betting: A Major Force, Especially Where Casino Is Restricted
Online casino may be the dominant product in many European markets, but sports betting remains a major part of the continent’s gambling industry.
Its importance is particularly clear in markets where licensed online casino is not available.
In Cyprus, sports and events betting accounts for 74% of online gambling revenue, making it the clear dominant product.
The same pattern can be seen in France, where licensed online casino is prohibited. Online sports betting generated €1.7 billion in 2025, compared with €525 million from poker and €326 million from horse-race betting.
But sports betting does not need casino restrictions to command a significant share of the market. Across several European jurisdictions where consumers have access to a broader range of online gambling products, betting continues to generate substantial revenue:
- Slovakia: Betting accounts for 64% of online gambling revenue, according to EGBA figures.
- Great Britain: Betting online and by phone generated £2.4 billion between April 2025 and March 2026. Football contributed £1.2 billion, while horse racing generated £769.3 million.
- Spain: Sports betting generated €174.4 million in the first quarter of 2026, accounting for 38.4% of online gambling revenue.
Even within sportsbook, however, there is no reason to assume that the same offering will work everywhere.
Great Britain is a good example. Football may be the biggest contributor, but the hundreds of millions generated by horse racing demonstrate why understanding what sports audiences follow locally remains important when entering or expanding within a market.
Lottery Is Bigger Online Than You Might Expect
Lottery adds another twist to Europe’s online gambling picture.
While casino and sportsbook dominate many markets, lottery can account for a substantial share of online gambling revenue in its strongest jurisdictions.
In Germany, lottery represented 37% of online gambling revenue in 2023, making it one of the country’s biggest online gambling products. In Denmark, it accounted for 26%.
Even where lottery does not dominate the market, its reach can be significant. The Gambling Commission’s 2025 survey found that 47% of adults in Great Britain had gambled in the previous four weeks, falling to 27% when those who only entered lottery draws were excluded.
In other words, roughly one in five adults participated only in lottery draws during that period, highlighting how lottery reaches a group of consumers who may not engage with other gambling products at all.
And that audience is becoming increasingly digital. European Lotteries recorded 19% growth in online GGR to €6.2 billion in 2024, showing that lottery’s online presence continues to expand alongside more established digital gambling verticals.
That is before taking its enormous offline footprint into account. European Lotteries’ latest report, covering 67 member lotteries across 37 countries, found that members generated €109.9 billion in total sales in 2024, with nearly 300,000 shops and other retail locations selling lottery products across Europe.
Lottery therefore occupies a different position from casino and sportsbook. It combines a substantial online presence in some markets with an audience that extends beyond regular gamblers, while its growing digital revenues sit alongside a retail network that remains deeply embedded across Europe.
It’s Not Always Casino, Sportsbook or Lottery
Even those three products do not tell the whole story.
Belgium stands out in the EGBA data because bingo accounts for 22% of its online gambling revenue, far above its share in most other European markets.
In France, poker represents 13%, giving it a much bigger role than in many neighbouring countries.
These may be smaller categories across Europe overall, but they reinforce the wider point: national gambling markets do not all follow the same template.
So What Actually Shapes a Gambling Market?
There is no single answer.
Regulation sets some of the clearest boundaries. If a product cannot legally be offered, the market will naturally develop differently from one where operators can combine casino, sportsbook and other verticals.
But regulation alone does not explain everything.
Sporting traditions matter. So do long-established lottery networks, the popularity of individual products and the way people prefer to gamble.
The result is a continent where two neighbouring countries can have very different gambling businesses.
For operators, suppliers and affiliates looking to expand across Europe, simply asking which product is biggest only tells part of the story. The more important question is: what is driving the market in the country you actually want to enter?
With SBC Summit Europe approaching next year, understanding those differences will be increasingly important for gambling businesses looking beyond their home markets and assessing where the strongest opportunities lie.
Taking place from 19–21 April 2027 at RAI Amsterdam, SBC Summit Europe will bring together operators, affiliates, suppliers, regulators and policymakers from across the continent.
Whether your focus is casino, sportsbook, lottery or the technology supporting them, the event offers the opportunity to compare markets, learn from businesses operating in different jurisdictions and meet potential partners from across Europe.
Explore SBC Summit Europe and register your interest.
What is SBC Summit Europe?
SBC Summit Europe is the Home of European iGaming, with regulated markets at its heart. It is the annual meeting place for the people leading, regulating and building European gaming.
When and where does it take place?
19-21 April 2027 at RAI Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
Who will be there?
Around 8,000 attendees are expected, including more than 3,000 licensed operator representatives. They will be joined by regulators, policymakers, industry associations, legal experts, suppliers, affiliates, investors and media. SBC Summit Europe attendee overview.
What is the main focus of SBC Summit Europe?
SBC Summit Europe is where the people running, regulating and building licensed markets finally share a room. Regulators and policymakers join the conversation directly, alongside licensed operators, who sit at the heart of the event with more than 3,000 operator representatives expected. Networking is as much a priority as education, so the programme is built to turn insight into conversations, relationships and commercial outcomes that would be hard to arrange any other way. Partnerships with IAGR and IMGL, alongside relationships with regulatory bodies and industry associations, are bringing gaming authority representatives from across Europe to Amsterdam.
What topics will be covered?
Channelisation and black-market competition, taxation, advertising restrictions, player protection and affordability, licensing and compliance, and the impact of new technology and AI. The programme will also cover compliance technology, payments, sports betting platforms and data, casino, marketing and changing player behaviour. Check the SBC Summit conference agenda.
Is the event focused on one market or on Europe as a whole?
Both. Dedicated sessions explore individual jurisdictions in detail, while broader discussions look at the trends and lessons that apply across borders.
How can I get a pass?
Operators, regulators, and qualifying affiliates can apply for complimentary passes. For everyone else, registration will open soon. For now, register your interest for SBC Summit Europe.
