Slots recovery helps Czech gaming revenue grow 16.0% in 2019
An improved performance from online and land-based slots, coupled with growth in lottery and betting revenue, saw the Czech Republic’s regulated gambling market grow 16.0% year-on-year in 2019.
Total revenue climbed to CZK36.27bn (£1.22bn/€1.36bn/$1.53bn) according to the latest figures from the Czech Ministry of Finance, while amounts wagered jumped 56.1% to CZK389.19bn for the year, winning back CZK352.93bn.
The year’s standout performer was the slot vertical, which recovered strongly after a difficult 2018 in which bonus restrictions and customer verification requirements led to a decline in revenue. Total revenue across all channels was up 20.9% at CZK17.95bn for the year.
This was largely due to a strong land-based performance, with customers staking CZK196.45bn, winning CZK181.34bn for revenue of CZK15.11bn, up 17.1%. Online slots brought in a further CZK2.83bn, up 47.4%.
Legal sports betting also enjoyed year-on-year growth, with revenue up 15.8% to CZK8.23bn. This was driven by online, with customers staking CZK78.41bn, from which operators generated revenue of CZK7.73bn, or 87.5% of the full-year total.
As a result sports betting remained the second most popular product in the market in terms of revenue, ahead of lottery. For this vertical, revenue grew 7.5% to CZK7.20bn. Here land-based sales were dominant, accounting for CZK14.83bn of stakes, compared to CZK2.23bn for online.
Revenue for other casino games, described as “live games” by the Ministry, remained flat year-on-year. Combined online and land-based revenue came in at CZK2.29bn, with CZK16.32bn wagered in physical venues – from which revenue of CZK2.06bn was generated – and CZK6.02bn online, for revenue of CZK223.2m.
For bingo, a product only available in land-based venues, growth was more muted, with revenue up marginally to CZK7.73bn. Totaliser betting, another one-channel product, saw revenue fall sharply, down 46.8% to CZK2.49bn.
Raffles contributed an additional CZK111,000, and small prize draws CZK1,000 in taxable revenue.