The survey of 1,001 adults revealed that 12% of respondents engaged in gambling activities (excluding lotteries) in the past year. The most likely group to gamble was men aged 29 or under. Additionally, 43% of respondents played lotteries, showing a decline from 51% in the previous year’s survey. Individuals aged 40-49 were the most likely age group to participate in lotteries.
Among those who gambled on non-lottery products, 47% reported doing so at slot machine parlours, which increased from 33% in 2019. Furthermore, 41% of respondents gambled online, compared to 38% in the previous year. Additionally, 29% participated in sports betting, a decrease of one percentage point, and 26% visited casinos, a decrease of 6%.
Out of the gamblers surveyed, 43% stated that they only gambled once a year or less, while 34% gambled at least once a month. The average gambling expenditure per session amounted to €20.
Among lottery players, 88% purchased their tickets at retail outlets.
While almost half of the respondents (47%) reported seeing gambling advertisements, the majority believed that new marketing regulations should be implemented. Specifically, 76% expressed the need to reduce gambling advertising, and 52% supported an outright ban. In comparison, only 22% believed that lottery advertisements should be banned. However, 51% agreed that the gambling industry played a significant role in Lithuania’s economy.
A majority of respondents (56%) supported raising the maximum age for purchasing lottery tickets from 16 to 18. Additionally, 74% acknowledged that gambling can be addictive, and 68% were familiar with retail self-exclusion tools. Moreover, 53% considered advertisements highlighting the potential dangers of gambling to be important. The survey found that 60% of respondents were aware of the role of the Gambling Supervisory Authority, although the number of individuals who had never heard of it increased.
In August, the Gambling Supervisory Authority reported that operators generated revenue of €43.8m (£4.0m/$5.2m) in the first half of 2020. The Covid-19 pandemic caused a shift in revenue from land-based to online gambling platforms.
