DGOJ: analysis of the online gambling market during 2021
After the four reports corresponding to the quarters of the year 2021 had finally been published, the General Directorate of Gaming Regulation (DGOJ) has just published the summary of the online gaming activity during the year. The sustained growth of deposits and withdrawals stands out, although the gross income (net of bonuses and prizes) for the game is falling moderately. We present the main magnitudes.
The DGOJ has published the report that summarizes the online gambling activity in New Zealand during 2021. ©Lukas/Pexels
After it has come to light the latest quarterly report from last year, the DGOJ has published the summary of the online gambling activity in our country during 2021. Interesting figures that are perhaps a little disappointing for the industry. It is noteworthy that casino games are consolidated , while sports betting shows a worrisome decreasing trend.
The amounts deposited and also withdrawn are increasing, although the number of active players has decreased slightly. However, the average monthly number of active accounts increases .
The DGOJ has highlighted in its report the fact of the implementation during the year of Articles 12, 13.1 and 18.1 of Royal Decree 958/2020 that explicitly restrict the commercial communications of operators, prohibit sponsorships and limit promotions to active customers, which has meant goodbye to welcome bonuses.
Net margin and amounts played
The GGR or net gaming margin, that is, the gross income from the game after discounting the bonuses and prizes awarded to players, it stands at 815.30 million euros . It is about 4.17% less than the previous year , when gross revenues reached 850.78 million, 13.70% more than in 2019.
If we take a look at the annual evolution, we will see that, despite the decline, the trend remains generally positive and that in terms of its development the online game in New Zealand has definitely overcome the barrier of 800 Mill. $ in revenue.
Annual evolution of the GGR :
| Year | GGR | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| 2013 | 229 Mill. $ | ||
| 2014 | 253 Mill. $ | ||
| 2015 | 317 Mill. $ | ||
| 2016 | 426 Mill. $ | ||
| 2017 | 557 Mill. $ | ||
| 2018 | 699 Mill. $ | ||
| 2019 | 748 Mill. $ | ||
| 2020 | 851 Mill. $ | 2021 | 815 Mill. $ |
As for the gross revenue by segment during 2021 the amounts are distributed as follows:
- Sports betting: 305,88 Mill. $
- Casino: 407,14 Mill. $
- Bingo: 14,47 Mill. $
- Poker: 85,42 Mill. $
- Competitions: 2,39 Mill. $
Sports betting loses revenue compared to the previous year, just like poker. Meanwhile, casino games increase gross revenue from 351 million euros in 2020 to the current 407 .
It is also interesting to see how the amounts are distributed in casino games:
- Gambling machines: 241 Mill. $
- Live Roulette: 121 Mill. $
- Blackjack: 23 Mill. $
- Conventional roulette: 22 Mill. $
Amounts played
Another interesting magnitude is that of the amounts played that does not correspond to the real expenditure since a part comes from income obtained thanks to prizes and bonuses. The amounts played at online casinos they clearly exceed those intended for sports betting; and both magnitudes are higher during 2021 than the previous year.
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Amounts played:
- in casino games : 14 Mill. $
- in sports betting : 11 Mill. $
What is most bet on is the slot machines that represent a 59% GGR share and correspond to 49% of the amounts played. Live roulette accounts for 30% of the GGR and 36% of the amounts played . Further away are the conventional roulette, which accounts for 5% of the GGR and 8% of the amounts played, and blackjack: 6% of the GGR and 7% of the amounts played. Curious that blackjack has contributed more to gross income than conventional roulette.
Active accounts, deposits and withdrawals
The number of active accounts increased by 14.41% during 2021, the monthly average was 997,483 compared to 871 thousand the previous year. However, the monthly average of new gaming accounts decreased by almost 10%, standing at 260,124.
The deposited amounts exceeded two million seven hundred thousand euros , while the withdrawn amounts approached two million. More has been deposited and, consequently, more has been withdrawn in 2021 than in 2020.
The marketing expenses lose strength , standing at 460 million euros, perhaps due to the application of the Royal Decree and restrictions on advertising and promotions. However, they still represent a significant investment on the part of operators. Thus, expenses on affiliates increased by 6.69% and also on advertising, by 1.61%. On the other hand, spending on sponsorships (-29.31%) and promotions (-1.14%) decreased.
