Baltics
Lithuania’s Online Gaming Growth Fails to Offset Land-based Decline in 2020
Lithuania’s regulated gambling market saw revenue decline in 2020, despite a 47.1% jump in online gaming revenue mitigating much of the country’s land-based struggles.
Total revenue across all verticals and channels declined 8.1% year-on-year to €103.5m, with the online advances accompanied by a 39.1% drop in land-based revenue to €43.9m.
With customers confined to their homes between March and May as a result of the novel coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic, igaming participating grew sharply. Total customer spends surpassed $1bn, a 64.3% year-on-year increase, while total revenue grew to €59.6m.
Category A slots were the primary source of online revenue, after the product’s total almost doubled year-on-year to €29.4m.
Despite major sporting events being suspended between March and mid-May as a result of Covid-19, sports betting contributed the second-largest share of any vertical. Betting revenue was up 10.5% to €26.5m, on stakes of €444.1m, a 5.2% improvement on 2019.
Online table game revenue soared, albeit from a low base, to €1.9m, while revenue from Category B slots was up 47.4% to €1.2m.
After Covid-19 pandemic forced in-person facilities to shut their doors from 16 March to 17 May, Lithuania’s land-based market struggled, however.
Customer stakes across all products fell 39.5% below the prior year’s total, to €288.6m.
Category B slots – which limit stakes to €0.50 per spin and have win amounts capped at 200 times the original stake – made up the majority of revenue for the year, at €20.3m, down 37.9%
Table games followed, though again revenue fell, to €10.2m. Category A slot revenue – with uncapped stakes and winnings – dropped 36.1% to €7.8m.
Retail sports betting’s contribution, meanwhile was almost halved, to €5.7m. Not only did the sector face the Covid-19 shutdown, but also saw most major sporting events suspended as a result of the pandemic.
The country’s national lottery Olifėja also reported a year-on-year decline in revenue for 2020. Ticket sales fell 6.7% to €106.3m, and after payouts to players, this left revenue of €46.9m, down 5.9%.
Baltics
Genius Sports Partners with Lithuanian Basketball League
Genius Sports Limited has struck a new partnership with the Lithuanian Basketball League (Betsafe-LKL), one of the premier leagues in European basketball, to implement its computer vision system in every venue.
Betsafe-LKL will become the first basketball league to automate the capture of eventing data, rich tracking data and broadcast-quality live video production via a single system. Using its unique AI capabilities, Genius Sports will transform this data and video into greater insights, immersive fan experiences and new sponsorship opportunities for the league and its teams.
Genius Sports uses AI to read, process and understand gameplay in real-time to contextualise every aspect of the game, using the language of coaches, players and fans.
All Betsafe-LKL teams will have access to Genius Sports’ Insight tool, a cutting-edge coaching and analysis solution used by every NBA team. Insight synchronises granular tracking data with video to help analysts instantly find answers to their most detailed tactical and performance questions.
Furthermore, with the help of AI-driven augmentation technology, Genius Sports will power new broadcast experiences for Betsafe-LKL fans. This includes enhancing live broadcast video with real-time data and graphics, as well as powering new sponsorable inventory for the league’s commercial partners.
Betsafe-LKL has begun the rollout of Genius Sports’ computer vision system with all stadiums to be completed in time for the 2024/25 season.
Rasa Liuimiene, CEO of the Lithuanian Basketball League, said: “Over the past decade, the Betsafe-LKL has significantly changed its image – it is a bold organisation that keeps pace with modern technologies and the opportunities they provide.
“Boldness and uniqueness perfectly characterise the Betsafe-LKL. We are delighted to be partnering with Genius Sports to bring unique Al-powered tracking technology to Betsafe-LKL competitions, which will enable us jointly to offer Betsafe-LKL clubs, their administration and basketball coaches state-of-the-art tools to enhance performance analysis, power immersive fan experiences and generate new sponsorship opportunities.”
Jonny Katanchian, Head of Sports and Broadcast at Genius Sports, said: “Our new partnership with Betsafe-LKL to rollout our AI-powered technology marks a pivotal moment for the league and world basketball. Across on-court performance, digital fan experiences and new revenue platforms, our technology will transform the LKL’s entire operation, unlocking the full value of tracking data and video through the power of AI.”
Baltics
Thunderkick bolsters presence in Lithuania with 7bet deal
Independent slots studio Thunderkick has strengthened its position in Lithuania after partnering with 7bet, an established operator in the Baltic region.
As part of the agreement, Thunderkick’s collection of popular games, such as the Beat the Beast series, Esqueleto Explosivo 2 and Pink Elephants 2, will now be available to more players in the country.
7bet, established in 2020, offers a wide variety of slots to its player base from internationally acclaimed game providers. It is also the only Lithuanian operator to boast tote betting on horseracing.
The new deal follows several high-profile signings for Thunderkick, including Alea and Skywind Group. The provider has seen significant growth in recent months with more to follow in the coming year.
Fredrik Ekholm, Head of Sales at Thunderkick, said: “We’re proud to be expanding our reach in Lithuania as it is an important market for us. 7bet is a well-established and quickly growing operator with a broad player network, and fits the profile of an operator with whom we want to partner.”
Gintare Karvelyte, Casino Product Manager at 7bet, added: “We’ve been thoroughly impressed with Thunderkick’s output over the years, so we’re thrilled to be introducing their dynamic games to our players.
“Titles such as Bones & Bounty, alongside classic player favourites including Pink Elephants 2 and Esqueleto Explosivo 2, are going to provide immersive, forward-thinking gameplay experiences, and we’re excited to be able to offer these releases and more.”
Baltics
Lithuania Mulls Cracking Down on Gambling Ads
Lithuanian MPs have registered amendments to the Gambling Law proposing to further tighten gambling advertising in the country as of 2025.
Around 50 MPs, mostly from the ruling majority, have signed the amendments proposing to prohibit the dissemination of information of the gambling companies sponsoring any public events, activities, natural or legal persons.
If adopted, the amendments would eliminate the advertising of betting, wagers, and casinos on television, in newspapers, magazines, or news websites and on street billboards. Neither the names nor the logos of gambling operators could appear on the jerseys of athletes and in arenas during the sporting events.
Companies would only be able to publish information on the types of gambling at the gambling venue or on the company’s website, the address of which is specified in the Gambling Regulation.
It is proposed to allow gambling companies to publish information on gambling only in publications aimed at professionals in the business. They could advertise their name and brand on their head office building or gambling venue.
Lithuanian MPs have started considering tightening the requirements for gambling advertising amid allegations that Šarūnas Stepukonis, a former BaltCap Infrastructure Fund partner, has embezzled and gambled away millions of euros of the fund’s money.
The initiator of the amendments, Mindaugas Lingė of the ruling conservative Homeland Union, has previously said that last year the total revenue of gambling operators amounted to 222 million euros, up from 103 million euros in 2020.
The amount spent on advertising in the gambling business doubled from 6.36 million euros in 2020 to 12.73 million euros in 2023. Gambling operators’ profits increased from 20 million euros in 2020 to more than 53 million euros in 2022.
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