Czechs gamble on average 12,900 crowns each in 2007

Czechs spent some 108.3 billion CZK (6.7 billion USD) on the lottery and other forms of gambling last year, suggest statistics released by the Ministry of Finance on Wednesday. This figure was 10.2 billion crowns (635 million USD) higher than that of 2006. According to the ministry, the amount Czechs spend on gambling has more than quadrupled in the last 15 years. Each Czech flutters on average some 12,900 CZK (802 USD) a year. According to analysts, the sharp rise in the amount wagered can be attributed to a rise in living standards and income in the Czech Republic over the last couple of years.