Bookmaker market of Russia

2023

Multiple-fold revenue growth for betting companies

At the end of 2023, the largest Russian bookmakers significantly increased revenue and profit. This was facilitated by sponsorship contracts and large-scale advertising campaigns on the Internet, as stated in the study, the results of which were released on April 9, 2024.

According to RBC, in 2023, the revenue of Fonkor LLC, the legal entity of the Fonbet bookmaker, reached 435.6 billion rubles against 220.8 billion rubles a year earlier. Thus, almost twofold growth was recorded. The net profit of this company on an annualized basis jumped by 125% - from 26.4 billion to 59.2 billion rubles. The bookmaker spent 7.8 billion rubles on advertising and marketing.

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It is noted that LLC "Management Company NKS," which is a legal entity of the bookmaker Winline, in 2023 showed revenue in the amount of 277.3 billion rubles, which is 6.5 times more than the previous year - 43.6 billion rubles. The company's net profit doubled - from 13 billion to 26.9 billion rubles. LLC "Firm" Stom, "managing the bookmaker BetBoom, revenue on an annualized basis rose almost 2.5 times - to 135.2 billion rubles, while the company's net profit more than tripled - to almost 3 billion rubles. The revenue of BK Olympus LLC, the manager of OlimpBet, in 2023 rose by 58.8%, amounting to almost 52 billion rubles. The net profit of this company soared almost 244 times - from 7.6 million to 1.8 billion rubles.

The main reason for the growth of income bookmakers call the increase in investment in advertising. Among other factors are new sponsorship assets, the development of offline betting networks, the growth of the customer base and an increase in its activity. In addition, some bookmakers indicate among the reasons for the growth the transition to domestic software, as a result of which it was possible to achieve "zero dependence on imported suppliers."^[1]

Bookmakers banned from using slot machine-like software

On June 27, 2023, the State Duma adopted a bill that tightens the regulation of betting activities. In particular, it is forbidden to use equipment and software that resemble traditional slot machines.

We are talking about amending the Federal Law "On state regulation of activities for the organization and conduct of gambling and on amending some legislative acts of the Russian Federation." The amendments were proposed in 2022 by the deputy from "Fair Russia" Dmitry Gusev.

Bookmakers are banned from using hardware and software resembling traditional slot machines

The document, in particular, says that in bookmakers, sweepstakes, as well as in their betting points, the use of software or equipment that fully or partially copies the work of slot machines is not allowed, including the use of visual images, drawings and symbols that are used in gambling in casinos and gaming halls.

The law also spelled out other bans. It is not allowed to organize and conduct gambling with material winnings, which is determined randomly using software and equipment, access to which is carried out via the Internet and (or) other networks. In addition, it is proposed to prohibit taking bets on events in which the outcome depends on the actions of the gambling organizer and its employees.

As the Kommersant newspaper notes, the amendments do not affect the segment of "fast games" - high-frequency bets on near-sports events, suggesting an accidental outcome without analysis. In addition, the authors of the document clearly withdrew from the proposed regulation the games held by the organizers of sports competitions. The concept of the bill was agreed and finalized taking into account the previously expressed positions of the Ministry of Finance of Russia, the Federal Tax Service of Russia and the State Legal Department of the President of the Russian Federation.^[2]

2022: Bookmakers turnover in Russia up 20%

In 2022, the turnover of the legal sector of the betting market increased by 20% compared to 2021 and reached 2.3 billion rubles, the volume of deposits increased by 22.1%, to 884.5 billion rubles. Since 2019, the total volume of bets in Russia has grown 1.4 times and at the end of 2022 amounted to 2.91 trillion rubles, according to a study by the information and analytical portal Rating of Bookmakers (published in July 2023).

As Kommersant writes with reference to this report, the average size of the bookmaker's bet in Russia in 2022 increased by 5.6% compared to a year ago - up to 1300 rubles. The total number of players at the stakes exceeded 15 million people, but the number of active users among them decreased by 1%, to 6.58 million people.

The turnover of bookmakers in Russia for the year increased by 20%

An increasing number of players perceive bets as entertainment, as well as the opportunity to earn only a few times. The overall perception of rates as a potential source of income is weakened over time, the authors of the study explain.

According to the "Rating of bookmakers" for 2022, most of the players (53.3%) use smartphones for betting. Almost one in five puts through a laptop, and 17.4% - using a tablet. On average, a player makes a little more than 4 bets per day, 25 bets per month. By 11% for 2022, the time that a player spends a week on bets has decreased. In 2022, this figure was 4.7 hours. According to the study, 90% of players are men. Most often, bets are made by a person aged 25 to 44 years (61%) who is married (54%).

The most popular sport for betting among players remains football, follows from the data of the "Rating of bookmakers," it ranks first, the top 5 also includes hockey, basketball, esports and tennis.^[3]

2021: The turnover of the bookmaker market in Russia exceeded 1.1 trillion rubles

The turnover of the bookmaker market in Russia in 2021 exceeded 1.1 trillion rubles. This was announced at the end of January 2022 by the controlling body of the industry, the Unified Regulator of Gambling (ERAI). He did not give a market estimate for 2020. At the end of 2020, the Rating of Bookmakers estimated the market turnover at 1.07 trillion rubles.

According to ERAI calculations, targeted deductions for sports from betting activities in 2021 amounted to more than 10 billion rubles against 2.3 billion rubles a year earlier. In 2018-2019, the indicator was measured at 0.8 billion and 1.14 billion rubles, respectively.

Targeted sports deductions from betting activities have increased by more than 10 times over the past four years

It is noted that with the participation of the ERAI, the Ministry of Sports previously developed the distribution of deductions from betting activities. According to this, 20% are received by federations whose athletes were selected for the past Olympic Games, 20% are also allocated to federations whose athletes became winners of the Olympic Games. 5% goes to the surdolympic and paralympic federations. 50% - federations, on the sport of which a bet was made. Due to the new rules, in 2021 the market lost three bookmakers: Bwin.ru, 888.ru and VulkanBet.

At the end of 2021, the total revenue of bookmakers, according to preliminary data from the Rating of Bookmakers, should grow by 25%, to 295 billion rubles. The main incentive for the market was the European Football Championship and sporting events postponed in 2020 due to the pandemic. Officially, the revenue of bookmakers for 2021 will be known in April 2022, when they submit reports, explained in the ERAI.

According to the ERAI, 113 sports federations and professional leagues received deductions from betting activities by the end of 2021. Major bookmakers say they haven't cut much because of the new regulation, including sponsorship, notes. Kommersant^[4]

Notes