Europe’s mature iGaming markets are changing quickly as mobile-first play, shorter sessions and tighter regulation reshape player behaviour.
Speaking to iGaming Expert, Vitalii Smoliarenko, Business Development Manager at Zenith, discusses the key trends shaping Europe’s online gambling sector, including changing player habits, the influence of Gen Z and the movement between gaming verticals.
The conversation also looks at the impact of regulation in markets such as Germany, the Netherlands and the UK, while examining why Eastern Europe is becoming a major focus for operators looking for long-term growth.
Player preferences are shifting across Europe’s mature markets. What trends are you seeing when it comes to game formats and session behaviour?
The clearest shift is the move toward mobile-first, shorter-session play, and it is reshaping how operators think about content at a fundamental level. According to our statistics, mobile devices generated 58% of online gambling revenue across Europe in 2024, up from 56% the year prior, and that share is projected to reach around 67% by 2029.
Players are gravitating toward formats built for self-contained sessions, and the titles gaining the most traction reflect that shift. Crash games such as Aviator and live game-show formats, including Crazy Time, have moved into the mainstream because they offer the high engagement and immediate feedback that players now expect as standard.
Online casino remains the dominant vertical, accounting for 45% of all internet gambling GGR in 2024, with casino-type games generating €23.2bn across Europe. The UK illustrates the point well, where online slots grew approximately 13% year-on-year to £2.7 billion in gross gambling yield.
Responsible gambling is also becoming a strong trend, with around 65% of players with EGBA member operators using at least one safer gambling tool in 2024, a figure expected to approach 70% in the near term.
Operators who treat this as a shaping force rather than a constraint will be better placed to design experiences that work within it.
How is regulation shaping player behaviour across European markets?
The picture varies considerably from market to market. In the Netherlands, revenue in the second half of 2024 was 10% lower than in the first half, directly reflecting increased deposit thresholds and reduced limits for players under 25.
Germany tells a more structural story, with its online share remaining around 22.6% of total gambling, held back by strict controls on stakes, spin times and monthly deposit limits, while a 5.3% stake tax has further constrained operators’ marketing budgets.
The German Online Casino Association estimates the unregulated market accounts for around 20% of total GGR as a result. This is a particularly interesting point to note given how over-regulated the market is perceived to be. More liberal regulatory environments will always attract more players.
In contrast to this, the UK online gambling market, which has high GGR taxation, but more liberal gameplay, grew to more than £5.5bn in GGY in 2024, a 12.3% year-on-year increase. In my view the broader pattern is consistent across the continent: tighter regulation compresses headline revenues without suppressing underlying demand, it simply redirects it.
Gen Z is becoming an increasingly important demographic. How should operators adapt their product and experience to keep pace?
Gen Z challenges almost every assumption of the traditional iGaming product playbook.
Unlike older players chasing jackpots and financial gain, this generation approaches gambling as entertainment, enjoyment and social interaction as their top stated motivations.
They are drawn to faster, more interactive titles designed for mobile, including arcade-style hybrids, low-volatility slots, instant-win titles and crash games, as well as esports betting and fantasy formats that blend skill and chance.
Engagement is driven by streamers, influencers and digital-native personalities rather than traditional advertising. Gamification has played a significant role, with missions and achievement structures making casino products feel closer to video game experiences. I find it particularly interesting that live casino is evolving accordingly, with hosts needing to be personalities rather than just dealers- this will be a big trend to watch in the coming years.
On acquisition, Gen Z’s lower disposable income also means operators need to rethink deposit minimums, stake structures and onboarding journeys. This is going to mean a big rethink on marketing in the coming years – as a one-size-fits-all welcome bonus no longer cuts it with this audience.
Are you seeing meaningful movement between verticals as newer formats gain traction?
Without a doubt. Live casino is the most active example of a vertical pulling players from elsewhere, with up to 30% of online gamblers now preferring live dealer games over traditional online casino.
From what we’re seeing, crash games and hybrid formats are also creating new movement between verticals, particularly among younger players drawn to real-time decision-making mechanics that sit somewhere between traditional slots, betting and skill gaming.
Sports betting remains highly event-driven, and major tournaments such as the Euros and the World Cup consistently creating cross-sell opportunities between verticals.
Operators with seamless cross-vertical account and wallet experiences are consistently better placed to capitalise on those moments. Sports will always remain a cross-generational trend, and operators who continue to see this as a bridge, with instant, easy-to-play games between matches always being a winner.
How much does localisation still matter in markets that are already well established?
More than ever, and the biggest risk for operators in mature markets is assuming that prior localisation investment is sufficient. Payment preferences vary significantly, with Trustly dominant in the Nordics, Klarna in Germany and Multibanco in Portugal.
Operators who fail to integrate the right local infrastructure see measurably higher deposit abandonment – Gen Z especially expects transactions in milliseconds, not minutes.
Online gambling penetration varies dramatically across Europe too, from 68.3% of total gambling revenue in Sweden to just 14.2% in Spain, a disparity that reflects regulatory history, cultural attitudes and payment infrastructure as much as product quality – that of course does not account for retail – which while more popular in Spain than further north, inherently generates lower spend than online.
Player expectations for locally resonant experiences continue to rise and localisation is an ongoing commitment rather than a one-time investment. We’re seeing the same trends across global markets, and personalisation will without a doubt, shape the future of gaming content.
Eastern Europe is attracting significant operator attention. What makes it a compelling opportunity and how does it differ from the West?
Eastern Europe deserves a genuinely differentiated strategic approach rather than an adapted version of a Western playbook. The growth numbers alone are compelling – Slovakia posted online GGR of €476m in 2024, up 30% year-on-year, while Poland’s recent legislative changes have opened the door to private casino concessions for the first time in decades in a market of 38 million consumers.
Regulatory fragmentation remains the defining structural challenge, with grey market activity substantial throughout the region, and player demographics differ meaningfully from the West.
In Poland, over 26% of online gamblers are classified as problem gamblers, a figure substantially higher than the EU average, which means responsible gambling frameworks need to go well beyond minimum requirements.
Sports betting dominates to a far greater degree than in Western Europe, with football the primary acquisition vehicle and live in-play betting particularly prominent. Operators entering these markets should lead with a deep sports betting proposition and treat casino as a second-phase cross-sell.
Mobile-first infrastructure, local payment integration and a long-term approach to regulatory engagement are all non-negotiable for anyone serious about building a sustainable position in the region. The future’s definitely bright if you look East.
