Lithuania’s gambling and lottery industries recorded strong growth in the first half of 2025, with online betting and slot machines performing particularly well. The sector contributed more than €41 million in taxes to the state budget.
Online gambling continues to outpace land-based play
Figures released by the Gaming Supervision Service under the Ministry of Finance show that total gross gambling revenue (GGR) for the first half of 2025 reached €131.5 million. Online gambling contributed €96.1 million, while land-based venues brought in €35.4 million.
Land-based operators saw a modest rise of just 2.2% compared with the same period in 2024, while online gambling grew by 18.2%, as digital platforms are increasingly displacing physical casinos and betting shops.
Among online products, slot machines were the largest source of revenue, generating €64.4 million, equal to 45% of the entire gambling market. Online betting also grew strongly, contributing €21.3 million, a 10.5% increase year on year.
Lottery sales also on the rise
Lotteries, a traditional cornerstone of Lithuania’s gambling market, also posted double-digit growth. In the first six months of 2025, lottery tickets worth €80.8 million were sold, representing a 14.1% rise on the previous year.
Players claimed €44.6 million in winnings, up 17.1% year on year. The gross gambling revenue from lotteries amounted to just over €36 million in the period.
The tax contribution of lottery operators was also notable. Of the total €41.7 million collected in gambling and lottery duties, €14.7 million came from lottery organisers, while casino and betting companies paid nearly €27 million.
Traditional casinos struggle to keep pace
Despite modest overall growth in land-based gambling, the data reveal a mixed picture for specific products. Slot machines in physical venues generated a total of €22.9 million, while table games produced €7.6 million.
Sports betting shops remained a relatively small part of the market, with gross revenue of just under €4.9 million in the first half of the year. By comparison, their online equivalents generated more than four times that amount.
The slow recovery of physical casinos may reflect shifting consumer preferences as well as lingering changes in behaviour after the pandemic, when many players moved online and did not return in large numbers.
Government eyes stable revenue source
The strong growth of online gambling has bolstered state revenues: with nearly €42 million collected in gambling-related taxes in the first half of the year, the sector provided a reliable and expanding contribution to the national budget.
Yet regulators continue to face challenges. The expansion of online gaming brings concerns about problem gambling and the need for effective safeguards. Lithuanian authorities have in recent years tightened restrictions on advertising and introduced self-exclusion measures, but campaigners argue that more needs to be done to protect vulnerable players.
If current trends continue, Lithuania’s gambling market could close 2025 with record-breaking revenues, particularly from the online segment.
