Veikkaus, the Finnish state-owned gambling operator, has posted a 3% fall in annual revenue for 2021, at €1.07bn ($1.81bn), compared with €1.1bn the previous year. Its land-based casino revenues increased to €346.7m, while lottery revenues fell by 1.1% to €600m. Betting revenues slumped by 16.9% year on year to €123.8m. However, despite Veikkaus reporting a rise in offshore and illegal competition, its online vertical also recorded a drop in revenue, falling from €149m to €123.8m. Veikkaus blamed lower revenue from slot machines, partly due to Covid-19 restrictions, and reduced consumer confidence and purchasing power due to the ongoing war in Ukraine.
Denmark’s national lottery, Danske Spil, has reported a 3% increase in gross gaming revenue for the year ended December 31, 2022, despite a challenging backdrop of decreased consumer confidence, Russia’s attack on Ukraine, growing inflation, and the European energy crisis. The group’s lottery business, Danske Lotteri Spil, saw a 0.7% increase in GGR, while its sports betting and online casino segment, Danske Licens Spil, reported a drop of 8.7%. The gaming hall business, Elite Gaming, saw GGR rise by 44.2%. The group’s efforts to promote responsible gaming have helped to lower the number of customers who are at high risk of gambling addiction.
FDJ, the French Lottery and the official partner of the Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games, has launched its 2023 “Gagner du terrain” or “Gain Ground” call for projects in collaboration with the National Sports Agency and Paris 2024. The initiative aims to add open-access warm-up areas to existing local sports facilities to encourage citizens, whether athletes or not, to engage in sports. By 2024, FDJ will equip about 50 municipalities in urban and rural areas with these amenities to leave a legacy for the Paris 2024 Games. Only municipalities supported by the National Sports Agency in 2022 and having at least one FDJ partner business on their territory can apply for the call for projects.