{"id":618,"date":"2021-02-11T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2021-02-11T00:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/gbc.ng\/germany-sports-betting-providers-call-for-online-licensing-to-resume\/"},"modified":"2021-02-11T00:00:00","modified_gmt":"2021-02-11T00:00:00","slug":"germany-sports-betting-providers-call-for-online-licensing-to-resume","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/gbc.ng\/index.php\/germany-sports-betting-providers-call-for-online-licensing-to-resume\/","title":{"rendered":"GERMANY: SPORTS BETTING PROVIDERS CALL FOR ONLINE LICENSING TO RESUME"},"content":{"rendered":"

Germany.-\u00a0Deutsche Sportwettenverband (DSWV)<\/strong>, the German association representing sports betting providers, has called on the government to\u00a0resume the stalled licensing process for online sportsbooks<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

The association warned that\u00a0sales in the regulated sports betting sector fell by 16.1 per cent year-on-year in 2020<\/strong>\u00a0due to the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s also concerned that Germany\u2019s tight restrictions on licensed online casinos were\u00a0pushing players to unlicensed sites<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

See also:<\/strong>\u00a0German online slots tax could threaten regulated market<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

Figures from the Federal Ministry of Finance show that\u00a0industry turnover fell from a record \u20ac9.3bn in 2019 to \u20ac7.8bn in 2020<\/strong>. Tax revenue dropped by 16.2 per cent year-on-year to \u20ac389m.<\/p>\n

Online casino regulations push customers to unlicensed market<\/strong><\/p>\n

DSWV president Mathias Dahms said that\u00a0transitional regulations for online casinos\u00a0<\/strong>introduced on October 15 had exacerbated the challenges for the licensed industry.<\/p>\n

He said the tight regulations, including a \u20ac1 per spin stake limit on slots, had prompted customers to\u00a0migrate to unlicensed operations<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

The DSWV claims that a survey of its members showed an average decline in igaming turnover of 54 per cent since the implementation of the\u00a0transition period ahead of the launch of Germany\u2019s regulated igaming\u00a0<\/em><\/strong>market later this year.<\/p>\n

Dahms said: \u201cIt is clear that the\u00a0strict regulations for virtual slot machines have channeled the market away almost overnight\u00a0<\/strong>\u2013 unfortunately in the wrong direction.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u00a0urgently need improvements to the regulations<\/strong>\u00a0and a\u00a0functioning enforcement against illegal offers<\/strong>. Otherwise, established providers willing to regulate will withdraw from the German gaming market.<\/p>\n

\u201cInstead of a properly regulated market, we currently have competitive distortions of unexpected proportions.\u201d<\/p>\n

The\u00a0<\/em><\/strong>Regional Council of Darmstadt\u00a0awarded 21 online sports betting licences<\/em><\/strong>\u00a0in the fourth quarter of 2020 but\u00a0the process has since stalled<\/strong>\u00a0with up to 20 more completed applications yet to receive approval.<\/p>\n

Dahms said: \u201cWe are seeing a massive consumer exodus into the unregulated market but the completely divided Gl\u00fccksspielkollegium, as a body of 16 responsible officials from the state interior ministries, has\u00a0kept the application process pending for months<\/strong>\u00a0and has not made any further decisions.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe therefore urgently appeal to the state governments to put an end to this untenable situation:\u00a0all open concession applications must be decided immediately<\/strong>\u00a0in order to create fair market conditions for all providers. It cannot be that the licensed providers are the ones who suffer.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

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