Lithuanian Gambling Revenue Falls 2.8% Year-on-year in Q1 2020

Lithuania’s gambling revenue for Q1 2020 has fallen 2.8% year-on-year to €25.9m, with an increased online contribution not enough to offset land-based declines caused by Covid-19.

Despite the decline in revenue, turnover across all licensees was up 13.8% to €296.5m in the three months to March 31. This was due to a significant jump in the contribution from online betting and gaming, which climbed 54.2% to €201.2m, meaning the channel accounted for 67.9% of market turnover in Q1. With Lithuania’s land-based venues closed from 16 March, turnover for the channel was down 20.8% to €94.3m.

Online gambling revenue grew 39.1% to €11.8m. Despite the suspension of sports across the globe, betting revenue grew 14.6% to €6.0m, with amounts wagered rising €111.0m, a 15.6% increase.

Category A online slots accounted for €5.3m in revenue (up 85.2%), and amounts wagered soared 165.0%. Category B slots, where stakes are capped at €0.5m, saw revenue climb 14.5% to €243,678 on stakes of €2.1m, up 29.5%. Online table game revenue rose 59.8% to €165,541 from stakes of €230,750.

However, the land-based market struggled as a result of the Covid-19 enforced shut-downs, with revenue falling 23.3% to €14.1m.

Category B slot machines accounted for the majority of the quarterly total, though revenue fell 17.7% to €6.5m, after turnover declined 15.2% to €41.1m. Category A machine revenue was down 12.6% to €2.5m, with turnover declining to €10.9m. Table game turnover fell 25.5% to €15.7m, with revenue down 29.8% to €3.4m.