What is Gross Gaming Revenue
Gross Gaming Revenue (GGR) is the most widely used revenue metric in the gambling industry. It equals total wagers minus total winnings paid out to customers, calculated across a defined period and a defined game or product set. GGR is the operator’s gross income before any cost is subtracted.
GGR is what regulators, listed operators, and licensing authorities typically report. It is also the basis for gambling-duty calculations in most jurisdictions.
GGR vs NGR
GGR is the gross figure. Net Gaming Revenue (NGR) subtracts bonus costs, loyalty programme costs, gaming duties, and sometimes payment-processing fees. NGR is closer to the operator’s true contribution margin per customer.
For board reporting and investor relations, listed operators usually publish both GGR and NGR. GGR is comparable across jurisdictions. NGR depends on each operator’s bonus and promotional strategy.
GGR by product vertical
Different verticals produce different GGR profiles. Slots and other RNG games generate GGR proportional to total wagered, governed by the certified House Edge. Sportsbook GGR is more volatile, since the operator’s margin depends on betting outcomes and risk-management performance. Live casino sits between the two: certified table odds set the structural margin, but live betting patterns and side-bet selection affect realised margin in any given month.
GGR as a B2B KPI
Operators benchmark GGR per customer (GGR per active, GGR per first-time depositor), per session, per geo, and per game. Game providers benchmark GGR contribution by title and by hold. Affiliate networks benchmark partner GGR to calibrate revenue-share economics. In every case, GGR is the input metric to nearly every downstream B2B KPI in iGaming.
Frequently asked questions about What Is Gross Gaming Revenue (GGR)?
No. Turnover is the total amount wagered. GGR is turnover minus winnings paid out. A sportsbook may have very high turnover but a relatively small GGR if its overall margin is low.
Bonus-funded wagers and the winnings they generate flow through the same GGR calculation. The bonus cost is then subtracted separately to reach NGR. Practices vary slightly by jurisdiction, and operators should follow the methodology required by their licensing authority.
GGR is comparable across operators, products, and jurisdictions. It is the figure regulators require, the figure that drives gambling-duty calculations, and the figure that scales most predictably with customer activity. NGR is more reflective of contribution margin, but less directly comparable.
On slots, GGR as a percentage of wagered amount typically tracks the certified house edge: roughly 2% to 8%. On sportsbook, target margins commonly sit in the 6% to 10% range, but can swing materially in months with adverse sporting results.