German casinos have been visited by one-third of the country’s population, according to a new YouGuv survey.
The survey, which was commissioned by German casino association Deutscher Spielbankenverband (DSbV), showed that 33% of respondents had placed some kind of casino bet at least once in their lives. The figures were higher for men (39%) than women (28%), and also higher in the former West Germany (34%) than in the now defunct DDR (28%).
At the end of 2015, Germany had 66 licensed casinos, offering a combined 550 gaming tables and around 7,500 slot machines. They generated combined revenue of €556m last year, the bulk of that (€399m) from slots play.
Slots may generate the most revenue, but the YouGuv survey found roulette to be Germany’s most popular casino option, with 63% of respondents admitting to placing a spinning wheel wager, while slots were enjoyed by roughly half of respondents.
Interestingly, men were more likely (53%) to play slots than women (43%). More men also played blackjack (18%) than women (12%), ditto for poker (men: 8%, women: 4%).
Another interesting stat showed that the most popular form of casino gambling by younger Germans was slots, which was enjoyed by 66% of gamblers under 29 years of age, handily beating roulette’s 45%. This stands in marked contrast to American millennials, who overwhelmingly prefer table games to traditional slots play.
DSbV CEO Otto Wolferding said the survey indicated that casino gambling enjoyed “high acceptance among younger citizens.” However, a federal health ministry study in April showed that younger demographics were more interested in online gambling options than traipsing down to the local casino.
Finally, the YouGuv survey revealed that over two-thirds of Germans don’t believe in the concept of going on a hot streak of luck at the casino. Women were slightly more amenable to the concept of a hot hand (26%) than men (22%).
