Recorded high revenue of €8.2 billion for German lottery businesses
In 2023, the German lottery market experienced a surge, with a notable increase in turnover and significant wins for players.
The German Lottery and Toto Block (DLTB) reported a record turnover of 8.2 billion euros in state-approved lotteries, marking a 2.9% increase compared to the previous year. This growth can be attributed, in part, to the growing online offerings of the lotteries, which generated over 1.2 billion euros in game stakes.
One of the standout moments in 2023 was a lucky player from North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW) who won the largest lottery prize of the year, totaling 66,151,897.20 euros. The winning ticket was for the Lotto 6 aus 49, and the story of the winner, affectionately known as Chico, was published on the games&business portal. Chico shared his strategy for the big gambling win, adding excitement to the lottery community.
The success story was not the only one in 2023. Around 8 million euros in winnings were distributed in the Lotto Baden-Württemberg's New Year's lottery, with eight million-dollar wins reported.
However, the growth in the lottery market was not without challenges. The fight against illegal gambling remains a priority for the 16 German lottery companies. Sven Osthoff, CEO of Lotto Niedersachsen, emphasized the need to intensify the fight against these providers, and the Joint Gambling Authority of the States (GGL) issued a gambling warning regarding participation in foreign lotteries in 2023. Providers who operate without state approval in Germany pay no taxes and contributions, which undermines the fairness and integrity of the market.
Despite these challenges, the lottery sector in Germany continues to support over 21,000 lottery sales outlets. These outlets play a crucial role in accepting lottery tickets and maintaining the popularity of traditional lottery games.
In a related development, online lottery courier apps are gaining traction in other jurisdictions, indicating a growing trend towards online engagement with lottery tickets. However, specific data on this trend in Germany is not yet available.
Sven Osthoff also made a statement about the fight against illegal gambling on the games&business portal. He emphasized the importance of enforcing the regulatory framework against illegal gambling providers to ensure a fair and safe gambling environment for all players.
Participating in the Spanish Christmas lottery El Gordo remains illegal for players in Germany due to the lack of a German license for the providers online. This underscores the need for a robust regulatory framework to protect consumers and maintain the integrity of the lottery market.
In a move to further digitize its offerings, Sachsenlotto presented its new online shop for ordering scratch cards in November 2023. This development is expected to further boost the online presence of lotteries in Germany and contribute to the continued growth of the market.
[1] German tax revenue data: https://www.destatis.de/DE/Themen/Wirtschaft-Umwelt/Steuern-und-Abgaben/Einkommensteuer/Veroeffentlichungen/Steuerbericht-2023/Steuerbericht-2023-Node.html [2] EuroMillions jackpot data: https://www.euro-millions.com/en/results/past-results/ [3] Texas lottery courier app data: https://www.texaslottery.org/ [4] Maryland lottery sales data: https://news.maryland.gov/mlottery/2023/03/23/maryland-lottery-reports-record-scratch-off-ticket-sales-for-fiscal-year-2022/ [5] Eurojackpot jackpot data: https://www.eurojackpot.com/en/results/past-results/
The growing online offerings of German lotteries, such as online casinos in Germany, contributed significantly to the 2.9% increase in the German lottery market's turnover in 2023. casino-and-gambling trends indicate a growing trend towards online engagement with lottery tickets, and this is demonstrated by the increasing popularity of online lottery courier apps in other jurisdictions, hinting at potential growth in this sector in Germany as well.
