Operator News
Germany – German lottery companies enjoy healthy 2020 despite pandemic
By Phil - 6 January 2021
The German Lotto and Totoblock (DLTB) enjoyed a healthy 2020 with stakes increasing by 8.8 per cent to over Є7.9bn during this period. In addition, Є145m profits were made. In taxes and duties, more than Є3.1bn were paid to the state budgets.
Jürgen Häfner, Managing Director of Lotto Rheinland-Pfalz, the company currently in charge of the DLTB, said: “During the 2020 corona pandemic, the 16 German state lottery companies proved to be crisis-proof and reliable. This good annual result shows that our game offerings are still popular with game participants – although numerous acceptance points had to close temporarily during the pandemic. Many customers have these closings, for example through the submission of multi-week tickets as well as the use of our online offers compensated.”
A prize of Є1m was won 145 times.
“That was an average of almost three prizes worth millions every week,” Mr. Häfner explained. A total of 1094 prizes of 100,000 euros and more were handed out.
LOTTO 6aus49 in particular once again made a name for itself. Thanks to the classic, the DLTB companies again reached the largest number of game participants in 2020. With around 3.98 billion euros in stakes, the already good result of the previous year was again exceeded by more than 12 per cent. LOTTO 6aus49 thus still holds more than 50 percent of the total stake and is still the most popular lottery in Germany.
“With the LOTTO 6aus49, the careful product changes that have been in effect since September 23, 2020 have had a positive effect. An improvement in the winning plan and a moderate adjustment of the stakes have not only led to higher stakes, but also to a faster increase in the jackpot in prize category 1 in the double-digit million range,” Mr. Häfner explained.
The European lottery Eurojackpot also contributed to the positive annual result 2020. The lottery offered in 17 European countries recorded an increase in stakes of 18 percent to more than 1.47 billion euros in Germany last year. After a weaker year in 2019, the stakes rose again in the past year. “These are completely normal wavy lines in the development of stakes,” explained Mr. Häfner: “If the jackpot of Є90m remains for several weeks, then the stake increases significantly. We noticed that again this year.”
With this, Eurojackpot also defended its second place in the ranking of the players within the German lottery and tote block. The European lottery generated over 18 per cent of all stakes placed in the DLTB in 2020.
The agreement of the heads of government on a new state gambling treaty, which is to apply from July 1, 2021, is welcomed by the DLTB.
“We see the new regulation as a further confirmation and strengthening of the public interest-oriented lottery monopoly in Germany and expect that through the regulation the illegal market in the online area is pushed back.” Mr. Häfner explained.
In addition, he announced that the companies of the German Lotto and Totoblock will continue to ensure a moderate offer for those interested in gambling. In this way it is also guaranteed that a considerable proportion of the stakes can be made available to the state budgets in the form of taxes and fees.
In the past year alone this was more than 3.1 billion euros – every day over 8.6 million euros: “This is money that benefits the common good in our country and without the many projects in the areas of welfare, sport and culture as well as in the preservation of monuments and in environmental protection would not be possible in all federal states,” stated Mr. Häfner. “We have a dense network of around 21,500 LOTTO acceptance points throughout Germany. This network is and remains the greatest pillar of our offer. This is particularly important because we also help support rural areas there and comply with the statutory canalisation mandate.”
