The Czech Republic's Finance Ministry says Czechs spent a record Kc108.3 billion ($6.756 billion) on domestic gambling in 2007, an increase of Kc10.2 billion ($637 million) over the previous year.
The numbers mean that, on average, each Czech over the age of 18 spent about Kc12,900 ($804) on gambling in 2007.
Growth was fueled by a boom in electro-mechanical roulette and video lottery terminals, which brought in Kc7.3 billion ($455 million) more than in 2006.
Revenue from casinos, fixed-odds betting and lotteries all decreased in 2007, however. Casino revenue fell from Kc10.5 billion ($656 million) in 2006 to Kc9.6 billion ($599 million) in 2007, fixed-odds betting revenue fell from Kc12.3 billion ($768 million) to 12 billion ($747 million) and lottery revenues fell from Kc7.6 billion ($473 million) to Kc7.2 billion ($448 million). Bingo revenue remained constant at Kc15 million ($934,000).
Players won back nearly Kc84 billion ($2.532 billion) in 2007, an increase of Kc7.8 billion ($486 million) over 2006.
Gambling operator Sazka generated a record Kc10.4 billion ($648 million) in sales in 2007, Synot generated sales of Kc8.2 billion ($511 million) and Fortuna generated sales of Kc921.5 million ($57 million).