EU Lottery Tax in 2026: Country-by-Country Breakdown

What you actually take home from a lottery win in Europe depends entirely on where you bought the ticket and where you reside. Some countries take 0%, others 20%+. Here is the country-by-country reality for EU + UK in 2026, including the important caveats.

The headline table

Country	Winnings tax	Interest on banked winnings	Gift tax (to family)
Netherlands	30.5% (Kansspelbelasting on >€449)	Box 3 wealth tax ~1.97%	10–40% above thresholds
Germany	0%	Abgeltungssteuer 26.375% on interest	Schenkungsteuer above thresholds
France	0%	Flat tax 30% on interest	Donation tax above thresholds
Spain	20% on prize above €40,000	Savings tax 19–28% on interest	Inheritance/gift tax (region-dependent)
Portugal	20% (Imposto do Selo) on prize above €5,000	Tax on interest 28%	Gift tax above thresholds
Italy	20% on prize above €500	26% on financial income	Donation tax
Belgium	0%	30% Roerende Voorheffing on interest	Variable (regional)
Poland	10% on prize above 2,280 PLN	19% Belka tax on interest	Inheritance/gift tax (group-based)
United Kingdom	0%	Income tax on interest as savings income	Inheritance tax after 7 years
Ireland	0%	DIRT 33% on interest	Capital Acquisitions Tax

How the Dutch 30.5% actually works

In the Netherlands, Kansspelbelasting (KSB) of 30.5% is automatically withheld by the lottery operator on prizes above €449. You receive the net amount. No further income tax applies to the winnings themselves. But:

• The winnings sit in your wealth and feed Box 3 (wealth tax) — currently ~1.97% per year on the portion above the threshold.
• Gifts to family above €6,604 (2026 figure) trigger Schenkbelasting.

A €1M Dutch jackpot becomes €695K net immediately. After 10 years in a normal savings account: ~€820K after Box 3, before any inflation.

Germany's 0% — but watch out

Germany has no Lottoabgabe on the prize. The €60M jackpot is €60M in your account. But:

• Interest on the deposited amount is taxed as Abgeltungssteuer (26.375%, including Soli).
• Gifts to a spouse are tax-free up to €500K every 10 years; the threshold is €400K for children and €20K for others.
• Investing the winnings in stocks: capital gains are taxed at the Abgeltungssteuer rate.

The 0% headline is accurate, but subsequent income and transfers may still be taxed.

Spain's threshold trick

In Spain, prizes up to €40,000 are tax-free. Above that threshold, a 20% tax applies to the excess. So a €100,000 prize equals €40,000 tax-free plus €12,000 in tax on the €60,000 above the threshold, leaving €88,000 net.

This is structurally different from the Netherlands (flat % on everything above €449) — Spanish strategy is therefore to split tickets if legally possible (e.g., consortium tickets).

The cross-border trap

If you buy a EuroJackpot ticket in Germany but reside in the Netherlands, you'll often face Dutch KSB withholding on receipt of the prize. EU tax treaties prevent double taxation but residency rules typically determine the outcome. Always check before crossing a border to play.

What we recommend at +EV moments

• DE/AT/FR/IE/BE/UK residents: play domestic EuroJackpot/EuroMillions at cap weeks. 0% withholding maximizes EV.
• NL/IT/PT/ES residents: factor the withholding into your EV calculation. A €120M EuroJackpot is "only" €83M to a Dutch player — still +EV in cap weeks, but the math is different.
• PL residents: similar to ES — the threshold provides some protection, plan around it.

Bottom line

EU lottery tax is wildly uneven. The same €1M prize leaves €1M in Berlin, €800K in Madrid, €890K in Warsaw, and €695K in Amsterdam. Know your country's rules before playing, and definitely before crossing a border to play.

The LotteryCortex tracker lets you set your tax country so EV calculations match your actual take-home.

Read next: EuroJackpot vs Lotto 6aus49 and our lottery syndicates guide.