Last Step Complete in Germany as State Governors Ratify the New Regulation Model

Germany's 16 governors have all signed off on the legislation model approved by Parliament, as the key formality necessary to confirm the launch of German regulation of iGaming.

Approval Confirmed

Approval by 16 governors of the new nationwide regulatory framework for lottery, sportsbetting, gaming hall and iGaming establishments was confirmed in Monday's report from iGamingBusiness.com.

All governors signing off on the New State Treaty on Gambling (GluNeuRStV) in a remote meeting chaired from Berlin, after a draft of the measures was approved in March.

Player Protection Priority

The proposed GluNeuRStV would legalize iGaming across Germany by establishing a wide range of player protection measures as requirements for licensed operators including limiting maximum single stake slots to €1 ($1.18) and limiting in-play sportsbetting to next goal scorer and final markets only.

Proactive Limits

The legislation requirements further include online casino operators removing live-dealer games; allowing punters a maximum of €1,000 ($1,185) in monthly deposits; and instituting cooling-off periods.

Lottery Monopolies Addressed

As far as lottery, the projected GluNeuRStV calls for states to maintain their existing monopolies and extending them to a range of lucrative table games.

DLTB Trade Leader Approves

Deutscher Lotto und Totoblock (DLTB) trade group chairman Jurgen Hafner lauded the current federal regulatory model for working “very well.”

Commitment to Safety

He also assured the commitment of the operator-members of his organisation to maintain the guidelines:

“DLTB members will continue to follow the legal requirements of the State Treaty and continue to offer a safe product range for those interested in gambling.”

Land-Based Requirements

GluNeuRStV will reportedly allow states to issue multiple licenses for slot and gaming halls in the land-based sector while remaining in charge of their own minimum distancing requirements.

DAW Leader Cites Distancing Model

Georg Stecker of the Deutsche Automatenwirtschaft (DAW) trade group celebrated last week’s approval after “years of intensive negotiations” while looking forward to the qualitative criteria to be applied to the licensing process for the first time while calling for emulation of arcade guidelines when establishing distancing guidelines at land-based casinos.

Outlook

The land-based adaptations appear the icing on the cake in Germany to complete the full set of comprehensive guidelines in place for iGaming, now officially to come into being in June 2021 after the confirmation of state ratification.