Lithuanias gaming sector experienced a remarkable surge in 2022, with internet gambling propelling digital expansion and earnings reaching unprecedented levels.
Lithuanias gambling income achieved a record peak in 2022, fueled by the flourishing online gambling scene.
According to the Lithuanian Gaming Oversight Body, the European nation generated a total of €195.8 million in gambling income during the fiscal year concluding on December 31, 2022. This signifies a 43.8% upswing compared to 2021 and nearly double the €99.4 million revenue generated in 2018.
Remote gambling constituted 62% of the overall revenue, reaching €121.7 million, an 18.6% year-over-year increase. Of this, online A-class slot games comprised 38% of the total, reaching €74.9 million, with remote wagering taking second place at €34.9 million.
Total income from the four land-based categories all doubled from the preceding year, with gaming tables and A-class machines hitting record highs. B-class machines secured second place, generating €32.4 million, a 118.9% increase from 2021, attributed to the easing of COVID-19 restrictions, though this figure remains slightly below pre-pandemic levels.
Land-based wagering also remains slightly below pre-pandemic levels, although the €9.9 million generated in 2022 was considerably higher than the €4 million generated in 2021.
The report indicates that the average gambling expenditure per adult in Lithuania was €85, a 44.1% year-over-year increase, slightly less than double the figure reported in 2018.
The Lithuanian Gaming Oversight Agency, under the Ministry of Finance, disclosed that there are presently 39 gambling permit holders. In 2022, the agency received 81 grievances, noticeably higher than the 45 received in 2021. Total penalties levied on operators reached €114,644, a 175% upsurge compared to the preceding year.
By the end of 2022, Lithuania had blocked 1,145 website addresses, up from 904 in 2021, nearly twice the 647 blocked in 2020.
Approximately 11,388 Lithuanian citizens have requested to be barred from gambling activities, with 89 being male and 88% being adults under 40 years old. This figure increased by 52.1% compared to 2021.
The Gaming Oversight Agency declared that its plans for 2023 encompass conducting risk assessments of commercial entities, particularly in relation to anti-money laundering and counter-terrorism financing.
Last year, the Lithuanian Gaming Oversight Agency revised the nation’s Code of Administrative Offenses (ANK) after discovering a loophole that prohibited the seizure of proceeds from illicit activities, such as unauthorized gambling.
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