One in four Europeans buy tickets online, and Romania has the second lowest share in the EU.

More than a quarter of people in the European Union, 26.8%, purchased tickets online for events in the three months prior to the Eurostat survey in 2025, compared to 23% in 2024. The differences between member states are, however, considerable: Ireland reaches 51.5%, while Romania, with 12.6%, is ahead of only Bulgaria, where the share is 11.4%.

In short The share of the EU population that purchased tickets online for events increased by 3.8 percentage points in one year, reaching 26.8% in 2025. Ireland has the highest share in the EU, at 51.5%, followed by the Netherlands with 48.1% and Denmark with 47.9%. Bulgaria, with 11.4%, Romania, with 12.6%, and Italy, with 14.2%, record the lowest levels. Among internet users, 34% of urban residents purchased tickets online, compared to 23% of those in rural areas. Subscriptions for movies, series, and sports remain the most popular online cultural purchase, ahead of tickets for events and music streaming subscriptions.

The data comes from the annual Eurostat survey on the use of information and communication technologies in households and by individuals. For the ticket indicator, respondents were asked if they made such online purchases in the three months prior to the survey.

At the level of the entire analyzed population, the share increased from approximately 23% in 2024 to 26.8% in 2025. The increase of 3.8 percentage points shows that digital purchasing of access to events continues to expand, without being evenly distributed among member states.

Ireland is the only member state where more than half of the analyzed population purchased tickets online for events in the three-month period. The share of 51.5% is more than four times higher than that recorded in Romania.

The Netherlands is close to the same level, at 48.1%, while Denmark records 47.9%. At the opposite end are Bulgaria, Romania, and Italy, all below 15%.

The figures from Eurostat's broader analysis also use a second indicator, calculated only for individuals who had used the internet in the last three months. For this reason, some percentages are higher than those calculated for the entire population and should not be compared as if they had the same denominator.

Among EU internet users, 29% had purchased tickets online for events in 2025. Ireland reaches approximately 52% for this indicator, while the Netherlands and Denmark each reach 48%.

Another eight member states recorded shares of over a third among internet users: Finland, Greece, Czech Republic, Estonia, Cyprus, Sweden, Luxembourg, and Germany.

The place where a person lives strongly influences the likelihood of purchasing a ticket online. In cities, 34% of internet users made such purchases, compared to 23% in rural areas, an 11 percentage point gap.

Eurostat partially links this difference to better access to cultural activities and faster internet connections in urban areas. However, the data do not allow for establishing the exact weight of each factor.

Geographical differences may also reflect the density of cultural offerings. Large cities generally concentrate more concert halls, cinemas, theaters, festivals, and sports competitions for which tickets are sold through digital platforms.

Age is another important factor. Individuals aged 25 to 34 are generally the most likely group to purchase cultural services online, while usage decreases progressively at older ages.

However, there are differences between types of products. Purchases of games and subscriptions for gaming services are more concentrated in the age group 16–24, while behavior for tickets and other cultural services reaches higher levels among young adults.

Students are one of the categories with the highest use of digital cultural purchases. Among students who use the internet, 36% have purchased tickets for events, making this the most popular category of cultural purchase in the group.

The next category for students is represented by subscriptions to music streaming services, purchased by 30%, followed by digitally downloaded games, at 22%.

The level of education is generally associated with a higher probability of online purchasing of cultural products and services. The difference is particularly large for e-books and audiobooks and smaller for products related to gaming.

Gender produces smaller differences in the case of tickets for events. Unlike games and software, where men purchase more frequently online, women have a slightly higher share in the purchase of tickets and e-books or audiobooks. The difference is less than three percentage points.

Tickets are part of a broader market for digital cultural consumption. In 2025, 39% of internet users in the EU purchased at least one of the analyzed cultural services online, corresponding to a share of 37% of the total population.

Paid subscriptions for movies, series, or sports broadcasts are the most widespread digital cultural purchase. Approximately 33% of internet users had such a subscription.

Tickets for events occupy the second position, with 29%, followed by subscriptions to music streaming services, purchased by 23% of internet users.

Game streaming is much less widespread, with a share of 6%. In contrast, 12% of users purchased games in the form of digital copies, indicating a greater preference for direct purchase than for subscription streaming in this category.

Digital consumption has not replaced physical products in all areas. In the case of books, 16% of internet users purchased printed volumes, magazines, or newspapers in the data available for 2024, while 9% purchased e-books or audiobooks.

For music and video content, the direction is reversed, with digital access being more widespread than the purchase of physical media such as CDs, vinyl records, DVDs, or Blu-ray.

Differences between member states are also found in these categories. Ireland, Denmark, and the Netherlands frequently rank at the top of the rankings for purchasing digital cultural services, while Romania and Bulgaria are among the states with the lowest shares.

In the case of subscriptions for movies, series, or sports, more than half of internet users have such services in Ireland, Denmark, the Netherlands, and Sweden. Ireland reaches 64%, Denmark 61%, the Netherlands 59%, and Sweden 54%.

The way Europeans consume culture is digitized beyond purchases. Eurostat data show that 94% of people aged 16 to 74 used the internet in the three months prior to the 2025 survey.

Reading news online reached 71% of internet users in 2025. For the other compared cultural activities, data from 2024 are available in some cases: 79% watched television or videos online, 65% listened to or downloaded music, and 34% played or downloaded games.

Access to digital culture also varies depending on education. For online news, 83% of people with a high level of education use the internet for this purpose, compared to 53% of those with a low level or without formal education.

For video streaming, the difference is 86% compared to 73%, and for music, it is 74% compared to 59%. Games represent the exception, being more used in the group with a lower level of formal education.

Eurostat analyzed the use of generative artificial intelligence in the same research. In 2025, 35% of internet users in the EU reported using such tools in the three months prior to the survey.

The share reaches 65% among individuals aged 16 to 24 and drops to 8% for the 65–74 age group. Students have the highest usage, at 72%.

Differences between member states are large in this area as well. Greece, Estonia, and Denmark reach 49% each, while Romania has the lowest share in the EU, at 19%, followed by Italy at 22%.

This data does not show that all individuals who purchase tickets online participate more in events than those who use other channels. The indicator measures the method of purchase and not the total number of concerts, shows, festivals, or sporting events a person attends.

The survey does not measure either the value of expenditures, the average price of a ticket, or the number of tickets purchased. A person who bought once and one who made numerous purchases are counted in the same category.

The data comes from the annual European Union survey on the use of information and communication technologies by households and individuals. The total population consists of individuals aged 16 to 74 living in private households.

Eurostat differentiates between indicators calculated for the entire population and those expressed as a proportion of individuals who used the internet in the last three months. For event tickets, the August release uses the total population, while the detailed analysis also presents results reported only for internet users.

Data on digital cultural consumption are part of European statistics on cultural participation and the digital economy and society. They allow for comparing how access to culture changes among age categories, education levels, and types of locality.