Central Europe

Polish sports betting market sums up 2020: STS named the market leader

Published

5 years ago

February 8, 2021

Reading Time: 3 minutes

For another year in a row, STS was the largest bookmaking company with a year-over-year increase in shares. Fortuna, the runner-up, was in the decline. The third-best, forBet, is on the rise, as reported by “Stowarzyszenie Graj Legalnie” (Association for the Elimination of Black Economy Betting in Poland ‘Bet legally’). Revenues of licensed operators, as well as the amount of taxes contributed by the sector, would be higher if it were not for companies operating in the grey zone which are estimated by the “Graj Legalnie” association to account for several dozen per cent of the market.

STS is the largest sports betting company in Poland. The company managed by Mateusz Juroszek already controls 45.8 per cent of the licensed part of the sector, compared to its 45.1 per cent at the end of 2019. The sports betting company has also recorded an increase in revenues, from PLN 3.081 bn to PLN 3.319 bn.

According to the estimates of the “Graj Legalnie” association, the second-best, Fortuna, has recorded a decrease in revenues from over PLN 2.1 bn to ca. PLN 2 bn. The company has also lost its market share, from 30.9 per cent to 27.8 per cent. The third one on the podium is forBET (6.6 per cent of the market vs 6 per cent in 2019).

Other legal sports betting businesses in the ranking are Betclic (4.2 per cent of the market vs 1.7 per cent YoY), LV Bet (2.7 per cent vs 3.5 per cent YoY), Betfan (2.6 per cent vs 1.6 per cent YoY), Totolotek (2.3 per cent vs 4.5 per cent YoY), Totallbet (2.2. per cent vs 1.6 per cent YoY) and eToto (2 per cent vs 2.2 per cent YoY). Other players control the remaining 3.7 per cent of the market.

The full list:

Sports betting company	Market share in 2020	Market share in 2019
STS	45.8 %	45,1%
Fortuna	27.8 %	30.9 %
forBet	6.6 %	6%
Betclic*	4.2 %	1.7 %
LV Bet	2.7 %	3.5 %
Betfan*	2.6 %	1.6 %
Totolotek	2.3 %	4.6 %
Totalbet	2.2 %	1.6 %
eToto	2 %	2.2 %
Other	3.7 %	2.9 %

*It should, however, be noted that Betfan and Betclic were not operating from the beginning of 2019, therefore their results are not fully reliable.

COMMENTARY: Katarzyna Mikołajczyk, President of the “Graj Legalnie” association

The year 2020 was very subversive for the sports betting industry. After a promising beginning, the second quarter brought the lockdown of global sport. The most flexible companies with a diversified portfolio and well-developed produce and technology were able to make up for the losses incurred during those months. The best example of this is the market leader – STS. The company, despite a decline in revenues in the second quarter, achieved at the end of 2020 a result better than in the previous 12 months.

The pandemic has also affected its local betting shops, most of which have been closed during the lockdown. After reopening, traffic at many of these locations did not return to pre-pandemic levels, and some customers moved to the online channel. Totolotek did not manage to cope in this difficult situation – it has recently announced the closing of all of its local betting shops. It was the leaders who made it.

Graj Legalnie

The mission of the Graj Legalnie association is to improve the situation of legal sports betting businesses in Poland. Its goal is to protect the sector from illegal and unfair competition. The organisation was founded in 2016 to support operators licensed by the Minister of Finance in their functioning in a complex legal and competitive environment. Challenges facing both the association and the Polish authorities include the grey economy accounting for several dozen per cent of the market and losses incurred by the state budget for unpaid taxes worth several billion zloty.

Moreover, the task of the association is to create a positive image of the sports betting industry, to shape and to disseminate the principles of ethics in business operations and share best practices, as well as information between its membrs. Since its foundation, the association has been focussed on providing reliable information and data concerning the Polish sports betting industry.

Central Europe

Habanero goes live on Favbet Romania

Published

2 weeks ago

May 19, 2026

Wladimir P.

Deal adds Habanero’s slots and table games to Favbet.ro as the supplier targets further growth in CEE regulated markets.

Habanero has gone live with Favbet Romania, rolling out its slots and table games portfolio on the operator’s locally focused platform in Romania’s regulated online market.

Under the agreement, Favbet Romania players gain access to Habanero’s full catalogue. The companies positioned the launch as part of Habanero’s wider push to add regulated operator partners across Central and Eastern Europe.

Toni Karapetrov, Head of Corporate Communications at Habanero, said: “Favbet Romania is a well-respected brand in Europe and exactly the kind of partner we look to work with as we deepen our presence in the market. Romania players have a strong appetite for our content and we are confident our games will resonate well with their audience.

“Romania is an important market for us, and going live with this operator is another strong step in our continued European expansion across high-growth regulated markets.”

Cristian Sapovici, Head of Casino, Favbet Romania, said: “The collaboration between Favbet Romania and Habanero has been strong from the very beginning, and this co-branded collaboration agreement marks an important step in strengthening our strategic partnership.

“Our shared objective is to deliver a more integrated gaming experience for players in Romania, supported by consistent visibility, dedicated campaigns, and a stronger presence of Habanero content within the Favbet.ro ecosystem.”

Habanero said it is now live in 22 European regulated markets, and counts operators including Entain, Sisal and Betway among its partners.

The post Habanero goes live on Favbet Romania appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

Brightstar Global Solutions Corporation

Brightstar Lottery Signs 3-Year Contract Extension with TIPOS, Slovakia’s National Lottery

Published

2 weeks ago

May 18, 2026

Wladimir P.

brightstar-lottery-signs-3-year-contract-extension-with-tipos,-slovakia’s-national-lottery

Brightstar Lottery PLC announced that its subsidiary, Brightstar Global Solutions Corporation, has signed a three-year contract extension with TIPOS, the government-owned lottery in Slovakia, to continue providing best-in-class lottery technology and lottery-related services.

TIPOS has been a valued Brightstar customer for more than 30 years. Under its most recent contract with TIPOS, signed in 2019 and which this agreement extends to 2032, Brightstar implemented in Slovakia a new lottery central system, next-generation retailer terminals, and related support services. Brightstar will further support TIPOS’ business expansion by delivering up to 2500 new mobile lottery terminals, handheld devices that provide lotteries expanded reach and enhanced convenience.

“Brightstar continues to deliver important services and innovative solutions to help us grow lottery in Slovakia. The success of our partnership funds a variety of good causes in Slovakia, including education and sports, and we are pleased to extend our agreement,” said Štefan Vyletel, Chairman of the Management Board and CEO of TIPOS.

“We are honored that TIPOS has entrusted us to serve Slovakia’s lottery for three decades. The handheld terminals we are deploying will enable TIPOS to convert offline instant ticket sales activities to online sales at the individual ticket level, while expanding the number of points of sale locations that players can purchase draw-based lottery games. We remain firmly committed to providing TIPOS and its players with exciting and innovative lottery solutions to help drive funding for good causes in Slovakia,” said Marco Tasso, Brightstar Chief Operating Officer International and Italy Operations.

The post Brightstar Lottery Signs 3-Year Contract Extension with TIPOS, Slovakia’s National Lottery appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

Central Europe

Tipico Casino Enters into Partnership with Holstein Kiel

Published

1 month ago

May 5, 2026

Wladimir P.

tipico-casino-enters-into-partnership-with-holstein-kiel

Tipico Casino, operated by Tipico Karlsruhe Ltd, has entered into a partnership with German second-division football club Holstein Kiel. The agreement marks the start of a long-term collaboration between two strong and trusted brands.

In April, Tipico Karlsruhe Ltd. launched a fully regulated online casino offering in Schleswig-Holstein – becoming the first private provider to do so in Germany. The licences were granted in September 2024 by the state’s Ministry of the Interior, Municipal Affairs, Housing and Sport. The partnership with Holstein Kiel reflects the strong regional commitment behind this new offering.

The aim is not only to deliver exciting entertainment to people in Schleswig-Holstein, but also to ensure a safe and responsible environment. Tipico is known for its high standards in player protection in Germany and applies the same approach to its online casino offering.

Holstein Kiel stands for authenticity, passion and down-to-earth values like few other clubs in northern Germany. At the heart of the collaboration is a long-term partnership built on trust, regional proximity and shared values.

Christian Heins, Director of iGaming at Tipico, said: “As someone who grew up in northern Germany, I feel a strong personal connection to the region. I’m therefore especially pleased that we’ve been able to bring together Holstein Kiel, a club with great tradition, and Tipico Casino. By joining forces, we aim to offer players a safe and engaging online casino experience.”

Wolfgang Schwenke, Vice President and Managing Director of KSV Holstein, said: “We are delighted to welcome Tipico as a partner that is actively contributing to developments in Schleswig-Holstein. As a club with strong roots in the region, it is important to us to build and strengthen local partnerships. At the same time, we share a clear commitment to providing a responsible environment.”

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