An electronic ballast for a discharge lamp has a compact arrangement of electric parts. The ballast includes an AC-DC converter and an inverter giving a high frequency output voltage for operating the lamp. The inverter includes switching elements, a control circuit, and an output transformer for connection with the lamp. A single circuit board mounts the electric parts forming the converter and the inverter. The circuit board is accommodated within a tubular casing together with a dielectric sheet which is provided for insulating the circuit board as well as the electric parts from the casing. The output transformer is mounted on a top surface of the circuit board together with some of the other electric parts. The ballast includes chip components forming a detection circuit for lamp condition, and the circuit board mounts the chip components on a bottom surface at a location immediately opposite of the output transformer.