EL Annual Report highlights renewal, responsibility & societal impact
As EL President Romana Girandon notes in the Report, “There is no longer such a thing as business as usual,” underlining the importance of resilience, clarity of purpose and responsible leadership in uncertain times. In a constantly changing environment, EL and its members remain focused on what matters most: delivering positive societal impact for the benefit of society.
EL Annual Report highlights renewal, responsibility & societal impact
Brussels, 12 May 2026 – The European Lotteries (EL) has published its Annual Report 2025, reflecting on a year marked by renewal, strategic focus and continued commitment to delivering positive societal impact across Europe.
In a rapidly evolving political, regulatory and technological environment, the report highlights how European lotteries continue to adapt while remaining firmly anchored in their public-interest mission: for the benefit of society. EL members contributed a record €29.4 billion to society – around €47 per European citizen - clear evidence of the societal role and value of European lotteries.
The publication outlines key developments across EL’s activities in 2025, while also marking an important year of organisational evolution for the Association – including the appointment of a new Secretary General, the re-election of the EL President and Executive Committee, and the adoption of a renewed Strategic Outline for 2025–2027.
EL strengthened its advocacy initiatives through enhancing engagement with European institutions, policymakers and civil society organisations, while continuing to deliver high-impact networking events and knowledge-sharing opportunities for its members.
The EL Congress 2025 in Bern, Switzerland was a particular highlight, gathering more than 570 participants and featuring a Keynote Address from Count Herman Van Rompuy, President Emeritus of the European Council and former Prime Minister of Belgium. As he reminded us, ‘’We must invest in the quality of our society and of our people… In times of crisis, the role of lotteries in supporting our society deserves, more than ever, special recognition in the Union.’’
Additional milestones included defending subsidiarity through coordinated advocacy and preventing de facto harmonisation through standardisation initiatives. The EL Responsible Gaming Certification framework continued to raise sector standards, while the WiLL Mentoring Programme and the EL Environmental Initiative demonstrated sector leadership in other domains.
As EL President Romana Girandon notes in the Report, “There is no longer such a thing as business as usual,” underlining the importance of resilience, clarity of purpose and responsible leadership in uncertain times.
In a constantly changing environment, EL and its members remain focused on what matters most: delivering positive societal impact for the benefit of society.
About The European Lotteries (EL)
The European Lotteries Association (EL) is the European umbrella organisation of entities operating national lotteries and other games of chance, including sports betting. The members of EL are operating their services for the public benefit. EL is the largest and most representative lottery and gambling sector’s organisation in Europe, present in 41 European countries with a total of 71 members, including all EU member states (50 members are in the EU and 21 non-EU member states). EL stands for the sound and sustainable activity model for the benefit of society, based on the values of forward-thinking, sustainability and integrity. EL members only operate in those jurisdictions in which they are licensed by the state and where they comply with the legal requirements (e. g. anti-money laundering, responsible gaming policies, etc), and act as the most responsible operators in each jurisdiction. Website: www.european-lotteries.org