Germany’s Guidelines Appear Increasingly Comprehensive and Protective
Published November 2, 2020 by Lee R
The latest guidelines for the new German market coordinate protection efforts among operators.
Germany’s new measures for commercial operators promoting social responsibility among operators are getting clearer and more specific all the time.
Adapting in Transition
With full regulation following a transitional period set to launch in July 2021, the new rules coming into play will apply to all licences issued at that time.
The transitional period, or period of tolerance, is shaping up as an adaptation period that relies on the effectiveness of the measures in place to usher in a transparent, stable and sustainable maiden German regime.
Proving Compliance
In the transitional period, operators are already “proving” themselves if they show effective adaptation to the changes and general ability for compliance.
Operators who prove unable to comply stand to be excluded from the official licensing procedure in the summer of 2021.
More Requirements Emerge
Additional details are emerging regarding the procedures, starting with the requirement beginning October 15, 2020 requiring websites interested in applying for licensing to remove live gaming from its offerings now. This applies to live dealer games, card games, and RNG variations of such games.
The word “casino” will be prohibited as well, and reserved for land-based operators.
Leading Operators Participating
One of iGaming’s true household names are preparing over 150 games to players in the German market: Microgaming is offering leading titles such as Gamburger Studios’ 9 Masks of Fire and Triple Edge Studios’ Book of Oz.
Additional early compliance stars in Germany include ORYX Gaming and Synot Games.
More Protections
More changes include a prohibition against autoplay, which operators will be required to disable in all games they offer; and player deposit limit players not to exceed €1,000 per month.
Time Monitoring
Hourly reality checks; five-minute cooling off periods after every hour of play; the offering of prominently displayed panic buttons across all games for easy and immediate self-exclusion; and prohibitions on free games or demos are all part of the enhanced protections which operators in Germany must adhere to.
Outlook
With such a comprehensive set of guidelines, a transitionary period, and more guidelines to follow, the adaptation process in Germany well underway appears highly transparent to date—which has to be a good sign.
