The Optimove Europe Gaming Pulse Report – May 2025 analyses betting behaviour across Greece, Italy, Spain, and the UK, based on a 12-month average of over 6.2 million active players per month.
- Greece dominates key metrics:
Greece consistently outperformed other countries, with the highest average monthly deposit amount, second-highest casino betting volume, and leading sports betting volume. It also maintained the highest user engagement reflected by average activity days and retention rate. - Spain leads in casino wagers:
Spain reported the highest total casino betting amount in May 2025, supported by consistent high engagement. Sports betting volume remained strong in May, closely following Greece. - UK shows growth opportunity under regulatory pressure:
The UK, while still posting the lowest averages in deposit and in casino and sport betting amounts May showed signs of improvement. Regulatory changes introduced in May 2025 likely drove higher engagement and increased retention but also coincided with gradual growth in monetary KPIs. - Italy shows moderate and stable performance:
Italy maintained mid-range deposit levels and showed steady performance in casino and sport betting. Engagement and retention remained stable, though slightly below the Southern European average.
Conclusion:
Greece is firmly positioned as the leader in player deposits, betting activity, engagement, and retention—making it a strategic market for igaming operators focused on long-term value. In the UK, recent regulatory changes present an opportunity to cultivate a more loyal and higher-value customer base.
Report metrics:
- Source: Betting trends in Europe countries in the trailing 12 months (May 2024-2025).
- Countries: Greece, Italy, Spain, UK.
- Database: A 12-month average of 6.2 million active players per month.
Category: average deposit amount
Key finding: average deposit amounts greatest in Greece
Total monthly average deposit amount across Europe: Greece consistently leads in average monthly deposit amounts, maintaining the highest values among the four European countries tracked in this report.
Italy and Spain remain in the middle range, with relatively stable fluctuations throughout the year. The UK continues to have the lowest average deposit amounts.
The average monthly deposit amounts for each country are as follows:
- Greece: The average for the trailing 12 months before May 2025 is $468. May average deposit was $482.
- Italy: The average for the trailing 12 months before May 2025 is $262. May average deposit was $279.
- Spain: The average for the trailing 12 months before May 2025 is $249. May average deposit was $256.
- UK: The average for the trailing 12 months before May 2025 is $210. May average deposit was $246.
Definition of average deposit amount: The average deposit amount is calculated by taking the total sum of all deposits and dividing it by the number of sports and casino bettors (players) who have made at least one deposit.
Category: Total monthly casino betting amount
Key finding: Spain has highest total monthly casino betting amount across Europe.
Spain leads in average monthly total casino bet amounts, showing strong performance, Greece followed closely behind, demonstrating a volatility trend throughout the period.
Italy showed a gradual decline May year over the year.
The UK consistently had the lowest average casino bet amounts, though it saw gradual growth and a strong increase in May 2025.
The average monthly total casino bet amounts for each country are as follows:
- Greece: The average for the trailing 12 months before May 2025 is $2,443. May average was $2,546.
- Italy: The average for the trailing 12 months before May 2025 is $1,806. May average was $1,810.
- Spain: The average for the trailing 12 months before May 2025 is $2,567. May average was $2,911.
- UK: The average for the trailing 12 months before May 2025 is $964. May average was $1,145.
Definition of total monthly casino bet amount: The average casino bet amount is the total sum of all casino bets and divided by the number of bettors who have placed at least one casino bet.
Category: Total monthly sports betting amount
Key finding: Greece and Spain closely lead
Greece and Spain maintained the highest average monthly total sports bet amounts throughout the period. Italy positioned in the middle, while UK consistently had the lowest average, although it displayed a steady upward trend.
The average monthly total sports bet amount for each country are as follows:
- Greece: The average for the trailing 12 months before May 2025 is $741. May average was $719.
- Italy: The average for the trailing 12 months before May 2025 is $420. May average was $400.
- Spain: The average for the trailing 12 months before May 2025 is $722. May average was $717.
- UK: The average for the trailing 12 months before May 2025 is $306. May average was $341.
Definition of total monthly sport bet amount: The average sport betting amount is the total sum of all sports bets and divided by the number of bettors who have placed in least one sport bet.
Category: Average number of activity days per active customer
Key finding: Greece consistently leads maintaining the highest engagement level
Comparing the average activity days per active customer across European countries, the data show that Greece consistently leads, maintaining the highest engagement level throughout the period. Spain follows in second place. Italy and the UK display a close pattern.
The average activity days per country are as follows:
- Greece: The average for the trailing 12.1 months before May 2025 is 11.5. May average was 12.18.
- Italy: The average for the trailing 12 months before May 2025 is 8.1. May average was 7.5.
- Spain: The average for the trailing 12 months before May 2025 is 9.3. May average was 8.9.
- UK: The average for the trailing 12 months before May 2025 is 8.4. May average was 8.5.
Definition of average activity days: The average number of activity days is the total number of activity days divided by the number of bettors who have at least one activity day.
Category: average active retention rate
Key finding: Greece maintained the highest retention rate throughout the entire period, while the UK saw a significant dip in May 2025.
Greece consistently led in average active retention rate. The other countries showed a strong volatility trend over the year ranging 70–80. The UK experienced a dip in May 2025 reaching to its lowest level of retention over the entire period.
The average active retention rates for each country are as follows:
- Greece: The average for the trailing 12 months before May 2025 is 83.6%. May average was 83.7%.
- Italy: The average for the trailing 12 months before May 2025 is 78.7%. May average was 79.1%.
- Spain: The average for the trailing 12 months before May 2025 is 77.2%. May average was 74.6%.
- UK: The average for the trailing 12 months before May 2025 is 77%. May average was 66.9%.
- The decline in retention rate may be attributed to a combination of tightened regulatory developments that got effective in May 2025, including reduced promotional incentives, enhanced KYC and affordability checks for bettors.
Definition of active retention rate: The percentage of bettors who were active in the preceding month and remained active in the current month.
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The post Optimove Insights: UK shows growth opportunity despite regulatory pressures first appeared on EGR Intel.
In this month’s column, Optimove examines betting patterns across four key European markets, with Spain leading on average monthly total sports bet amounts
The post Optimove Insights: UK shows growth opportunity despite regulatory pressures first appeared on EGR Intel.