As Europe prepares for the upcoming Winter Olympic Games, The European Lotteries (EL) underscore the essential role national lotteries play in sustaining the Olympic movement across Europe — a role that is both long-standing and indispensable.
Data from EL members confirms the scale of this contribution. Over 80 percent of EL members support the Olympic movement, where nearly 80 percent provide direct support to athletes and teams. This translates into 123 million EUR allocated to direct funding for athletes and high-performance programmes, complemented by 627 million EUR in indirect support for grassroots sport, infrastructure, and long-term development. Two-thirds of EL members describe their impact on the Olympic movement as high to essential.
The combination of elite and grassroots investment makes lottery funding unique. National lotteries support athletes at every stage of their journey – from local clubs to Olympic competitions – while ensuring that sport remains accessible, inclusive, and rooted in the heart of every community. More than half of EL Members also support the Paralympic and Special Olympics movements, reinforcing sport’s role as a driver of inclusion and equal opportunity.
At a time when the costs of hosting and competing in major sporting events continue to rise, lottery funding plays a critical stabilising role, ensuring that public-interest sport programmes can thrive independently of commercial pressures. It allows sport to thrive sustainably, while safeguarding its core values.
“Behind every successful Olympic Games lie years of investment in athletes, programmes, infrastructure, and communities,” says Piet Van Baeveghem, EL Secretary General. ‘’This year, sustained funding once again supports athletes’ long-term preparation, specialised facilities, and grassroots winter sport across Europe. National lotteries are proud to stand behind the Olympic movement. Without crucial lottery funding, the Games would not inspire so many – or be the success that they are today.”
As the Winter Olympic Games begin on Friday 6 February 2026, EL and its members reaffirm their commitment to supporting sport for the benefit of society and future generations.
Foto di Hert Niks su Unsplash
