Sachsen-Anhalt issues 9 new online gaming licences in Germany

The Sachsen-Anhalt State Administration Office in Germany has authorised nine additional licences for online poker and slot machines to be used throughout the nation. However, it is not yet known which operators will be receiving them.

Since the legalisation of online gambling in Germany on July 1, 2021, a total of 71 proposals for licences have been lodged. Out of the entire number of applications, eight have been withdrawn, three are now being discussed by the Glücksspielkollegium (the German gambling regulator), and just one has been denied; the other requests have not yet been evaluated.

Mernov, Tipwin, and Mybet will be the first three companies to enter the competitive online gaming sector in Germany, having already received regulatory approval. However, there is a growing amount of competition.

Additionally, the authorities acknowledged that, since the advent of the State Treaty, they have reported 25 internet operators to the office of the public prosecutor for violating German law. The action was taken by the agency as a component of a broader effort against illicit internet gaming operations. Investigations have been conducted into a total of 148 instances of illegal gambling, and 871 sites have been inspected. Additionally, 90 instances of unlawful gambling advertising were investigated by the agency.

The deal also included the formation of Glücksspielbehörde (GGL), a new German body dedicated to gambling law enforcement, such as stopping online payments and shutting down illicit sites starting July 1. It is anticipated that it will assume complete control of gaming regulation throughout the country by January 1, 2023.

The State Treaty also includes a series of stringent regulations for the business, such as a €1 stake limit for slot machines, and it is backed by a take on stakes of 5.3%.

Thomas Pleye, President of the Sachsen-Anhalt State Administration Office, said: “Each new task presents everyone involved with major and minor challenges – especially when it comes to two different authorities that start at the same time with different requirements and tasks, but the same goal. We can be very satisfied with the results so far, and we are now handing over both partial tasks and personnel and thus the symbolic baton to the GGL.”

Additionally, as a prerequisite for the licence, operators must ensure that gamblers take mandatory breaks at certain intervals. This is a method that is meant to stop people from becoming addicted to gambling. As a direct consequence of this, a number of operators do not believe that it is worthwhile to seek a licence in Germany.

It’s possible that the GGL’s plan to ban IP addresses may be helpful. However, experienced gamblers who are also familiar with technology can bypass these barriers.

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