The German gambling market is experiencing significant growth, primarily driven by increased participation among younger consumers. 46% of under-35s gambled in the 12 months to January 2023, rising to 67% in the 12 months to December 2024. This makes it a priority for gambling brands to captivate this emerging key demographic with innovative offerings like interactive multiplayer and social gambling.
At the same time, younger Germans struggle with their health amid multiple crises. While they likely turn to gambling as a distraction from daily worries, 57% of gamblers under 35 think gambling has a negative impact on their mental health (vs 10% of gamblers aged 65 and over), fuelling a negative image of gambling. By integrating tools that help younger gamblers control impulsivity (eg monitoring systems), brands can foster responsible gambling.
To appeal to gamblers, move beyond the traditional focus on big jackpots. Create trust as a foundation and increase reach by promoting better odds and special bonuses. Longer-term, leverage emerging tech like AI and AR/VR to deliver immersive, interactive gambling experiences, thereby making gambling more engaging and enjoyable.
This report looks at the following areas:
- Overview of current market performance and the outlook for the next five years, including the impact of emerging technologies
- Gambling participation, with a focus on engaging younger audiences through innovative and interactive offers
- Devices used for online gambling, along with strategies for brands to enhance the mobile gambling experience
- Key factors influencing gambling choices, and how brands can expand their reach by positioning gambling as more than just chasing large jackpots
- Attitudes and behaviours towards gambling, emphasising the importance of fun and promoting responsible gambling initiatives
Younger Germans are turning to gambling amid multiple crises, emerging as a significant target group. Brands can engage them with interactive multiplayer options while helping them control impulsive habits.
Silvia Hondt, Senior Research Analyst
Market Definitions
For the purposes of this Report, Mintel has used the following definitions. Gambling activities are comprised of:
- National Lottery draws, other lotteries (eg social lotteries) and scratchcards
- Gaming machines and virtual slots
- Betting on sports events (eg horseracing, football)
- Casino games an online poker
Retail or in-person gambling is defined as participation in these activities in licenced venues – primarily betting shops, arcades, casinos – or, for the purchasing of lottery tickets and scratchcards, shops and other high street outlets selling these products.
Remote/online gambling is defined as participation in these activities online, whether via smartphone, PC/laptop computer, tablet, smart TV, gaming console or other connected device.
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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
- What you need to know
- Opportunities
- Expected increase in participation will continue to fuel market value growth
- Market size & forecast
- Outlook
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OPPORTUNITIES
- Leverage skyrocketing gambling engagement among younger audiences
- Harness the power of younger Germans
- Create innovative offers to foster loyalty among engaged young gamblers
- Help younger gamblers to gamble responsibly…
- …with a focus on social elements
- Change the marketing narrative of gambling
- Shift messaging away from big wins…
- …to a focus on gamblers’ key choice factors
- LOTTO turns the odds of winning into ‘finding the needle in the haystack’
- Fun, fun, fun
- Promote gambling as fun…
- …with a focus on creating excitement
- Elevate tech to innovate gambling activities
- Make mobile gambling more engaging
- Vision for the future: how gambling brands can break new ground
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CONSUMER
- Gambling participation
- Increasing gambling participation in venues and online
- New key target group: younger Germans
- Graph 1: participation in gambling activities in the past year, by age – NET, 2023, 2024
- Younger Germans are the fastest growing group of gamblers…
- …with increasing participation of younger men and women
- While men remain the most engaged gamblers…
- …brands can highlight diversity in gambling communities
- Well-off consumers seek indulgence
- More niche activities are on the rise…
- Graph 2: participation in gambling activities in the past year – NET, 2023, 2024
- …increasing competition within the market
- Devices used for online gambling
- Smartphones and gambling are a perfect pair
- Graph 3: devices used for online gambling in the past year, 2024
- Smartphones have potential to make gambling more mainstream…
- …but brands need to support older gamblers
- Be aware of ‘app fatigue’
- Device use differs within different categories
- Graph 4: devices used for online gambling in the last 12 months, by participation in gambling activities in the last 12 months – NET, 2024
- Prepare for gambling on the go and immersive experiences…
- …inspired by Betano combining convenient mobile gambling with immersive games
- Gambling frequency
- The number of heavy gamblers is on the rise
- Graph 5: frequency of gambling in the past year, 2023, 2024
- Younger consumers are at heightened risk…
- …of unhealthy gambling
- Betting, casino game and slot providers: step up efforts for player protection
- Graph 6: frequency of gambling in the last 12 months, by participation in gambling activities in the last 12 months – NET, 2023, 2024
- Gambling choice factors
- Big jackpots are not the ultimate choice factor
- Graph 7: choice factors for online and in-person gambling services, 2024
- Leverage gamblers’ choice factors to increase reach
- Find ways to increase trust and odds…
- …by using trustworthy claims in campaigns
- Varying factors influence choices across different gambling activities…
- Graph 8: choice factors for online and in-person gambling services, by participation in gambling activities in the past year – NET, 2024
- …tying in with promotions
- Lotteries can focus on new ways of promotion to increase reach…
- …with a focus on interactive bonus elements
- Target younger gamblers with non-cash prices…
- …and learn from lotteries to target older gamblers with social projects
- Barriers towards gambling
- Games with better odds can counteract gambling barriers
- Graph 9: barriers towards gambling, 2024
- Target well-off consumers who focus less on cost
- Younger Germans show stronger negative associations with gambling…
- …fuelling barriers to participate
- Attitudes & behaviours
- Embrace fun as a key element of gambling
- Graph 10: behaviours towards gambling, 2024
- Increase gambling frequency with a focus on fun
- Foster responsible gambling…
- Graph 11: attitudes towards gambling, 2024
- …and watch out for gamblers’ mental wellbeing
- Major sport events in 2024 fuelled betting participation
- Graph 12: behaviours towards gambling, 2024
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DIGITAL ADVERTISING
- bet365 is leading ad spend and views in Germany
- Graph 13: digital ad spend for online betting & real money gambling, 2024-25
- Graph 14: total ad impressions, 2024-25
- Brands strongly focus on selected forms of advertisements…
- Graph 15: digital ad spend of brands, by device and format, 2024-25
- …and need to adapt advertising formats to target specific groups
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MARKET
- Market drivers
- Online gambling improves accessibility…
- …with gambling apps improving online gambling
- Graph 16: gambling app usage*, 2024-25
- Inflation is expected to continue to slow down…
- …with stable prices for gambling
- Graph 17: consumer price index by category, 2024
- Financial confidence remains fragile…
- …with under-25s being most optimistic
- Under-25s’ health is at the tipping point…
- Graph 18: perception of general health for a person of one’s own age (NET), by age, 2024*
- Graph 19: perception of general health for a person of one’s own age (NET), by age, 2024**
- …as multiple crises are taking a toll on them
- Gambling can cause stress…
- Graph 20: agreement that money is a cause of increased stress in the last month, 2024
- …and serious addictive behaviours
- The tech dilemma: excitement vs dependency
- Market size
- Significant growth in the gambling market…
- …is driven by increasing participation
- Market value is reaching new heights
- Sports betting remains niche despite strong growth
- Market forecast
- Expected increase in participation will continue to fuel market value growth
- Targeting younger consumers is key short-term
- Financial improvements as a chance to broaden target groups mid-term
- Tech innovations can help keep the market growing long-term
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APPENDIX
- Report scope and definitions
- Market definition
- Generations
- Abbreviations
- Methodology – consumer research
- Consumer research methodology
- A note on language
- TURF analysis methodology
- TURF analysis – ‘Which of the following would encourage you to choose one online or in-person gambling service over another?’
- Methodology – market size and forecast
- Forecast methodology
- Forecast methodology – fan chart
- Market size – value
- Market forecast and prediction intervals – value
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