German regulator thanks public after receiving 1,500 tips about gambling irregularities
Germany's gambling regulator, Gemeinsamen Glücksspielbehörde der Länder (GGL), has thanked the country's population after revealing it received approximately around 1,500 tips about illegal online gambling operators since January 2023.
Of the 1,500 reports made since the start of 2023, around half related to suspected cases of illegal online gambling. The other half centered on possible irregularities at legal online providers.
The GGL's Co-Chair, Ronald Benter praised the role of the regulator's reporting portal: “This initiative is an important contribution to raising awareness of the risks of developing gambling addiction. Information from the public submitted via our whistleblower system plays an important role in this.”
Paul Gauselmann steps down after 67 years leading Merkur Group
Company founder Paul Gauselmann (90) has resigned from his position as Chair of the Board of Directors of the Merkur Group effective October 1. Lars Felderhoff (48), previously CFO, will take over as Chair.
Felderhoff has overseen the finances and organization of the Merkur Group since 2018. He started his career in 2000 at the subsidiary Atronic. From 2007 to 2011, he expanded his expertise at the gaming group GTech (now IGT) and at Metro Cash & Carry International.
Felderhoff rejoined Merkur in 2011 as the Commercial Director of the adp Merkur subsidiary. In that capacity, he oversaw commercial operations for the Merkur business segment, encompassing over 40 companies both in Germany and internationally.
Gaming in Germany Conference announces main stage & breakout agenda
The agenda of this year's Gaming in Germany Conference – which takes place November 5 at the Hotel Adlon Kempinksi in Berlin – is now available.
Highlights include appearances by Ronald Benter, Co-Chair of the GGL; Dr. Andreas Ditsche, CEO of iGaming.com; Dr. Matthias Kirschenhofer, Co-CEO of Sport1 Medien AG; Ed Birkin, Managing Director of H2 Gambling Capital; and many others.
In addition to the main-stage program, the 2024 Gaming in Germany Conference will also feature several highly practical breakout sessions on topics such as:
Solutions to manage deposit limit increases
eMoney
Safe Sever (LUGAS) challenges
Sports betting products
Building player communities
Marketing compliance
Compliance effectiveness
These breakout sessions will feature industry product specialists and will be hosted by knowledgeable compliance experts from Chevron Group.
Don't miss it! Register today: https://bit.ly/GiG2024
Free RG training for Gaming in Germany Conference attendees
Ensuring responsible gaming behavior is essential for everyone involved in the gambling industry. The training “Player Protection in gambling halls and sports betting shops” is aimed at management and staff of land-based gambling venues in Berlin.
After successfully completing this course, participants will be able to recognize problematic gambling behavior, and to effectively intervene after recognizing it.
Successful participants will receive a completion certificate for the state of Berlin (the so-called “Sachkundenachweis-Suchtpräventiver Teil”).
The 6-hour training will be in German and will take place the day prior to the 2024 Gaming in Germany Conference, on November 4. The training will be provided by Mete Tuncay of Suchthilfe.
As there are only 15 places available for this training, available spots will be distributed on a first-come first-served basis. Please email Sarah Tilley at sarah@gamingin.eu to register your interest.
Get the latest copy of our FREE Gaming in Germany Magazine
The latest issue of our print Gaming in Germany Magazine is about to be published.
The 2024 issue will feature interviews with Ronald Benter, Co-Chair of the GGL, and Dr. Helmut Becker, CEO of ZEAL Network; an update on Google's surprise announcement; as well as a deep dive into the GGL's official market data courtesy of H2 Gambling Capital.
Make sure that you are well prepared for our Conference and order your free copy here: signup.gamingin.eu
ICE 2025 registration now open
ICE 2025 will take place for the first time at its new home, Barcelona's Fira Grand Via, on January 20-22.
Over 50,000 visitors are expected to attend the world's largest global gaming event.
Registration for ICE 2025 is now open.
PS: If you are exhibiting at ICE (or otherwise participating) and need help organizing your tailor-made evening event, please consider contacting Sapyns: https://www.sapyns.com/ice2025.
Live webinar | ESG compliance: A global paradigm shift
With initiatives like the EU's Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD) becoming more commonplace, the regulatory burden around Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) intensifies.
If you would like to learn more about ESG and ESG compliance, sign up for the live webinar The spectre of ESG compliance: A global paradigm shift, which is scheduled to take place Thursday October 17 at 15:00 CET.
The webinar is organized by Vixio Business Intelligence.
Schleswig-Holstein grants four online casino licenses
On 18 September, the Ministry of the Interior of the state of Schleswig-Holstein granted four private gambling providers permission to offer and operate online casino (bankholder) games in the state.
BluBet Operations Limited, Cashpoint (Malta) Limited, Skill On Net Limited, and Tipico Karlsruhe Limited were given licenses to operate in the state. This is the first time that private online casino operators have been granted an operating license in Germany, although in Bavaria the state-owned casino already offers online casino games to inhabitants of Bavaria.
While sports betting and virtual slots are subject national licensing, virtual bankholder games (roulette, baccarat, blackjack, etc.) remain subject to state licensing under Germany's 2021 Interstate Gambling Treaty.
According to the Treaty, the individual federal states may decide whether online casino games may be offered exclusively by a state monopolist or by private operators. If the state opts for private operators, the number of online casino licenses may not exceed the number of land-based casinos present in the state on the cut-off date of 17 January 2020.
State-licensed online casino operators may only serve inhabitants of the state in which they are licensed.
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