German regulator claims 95% channelisation and refutes black market concerns
GGL hits out at German Sports Betting Association research as it pours cold water on trade body’s warnings over offshore gains
Germany’s gambling regulator, Gemeinsamen Glücksspielbehörde der Länder (GGL), has hit out at the country’s sports betting trade body, the German Sports Betting Association (DSWV), over their black market claims, arguing channelisation in Germany is over 95%.
Last week, the DSWV said had it conducted a study that found 65% of German customers are actively playing in the black market.
The trade body also claimed that amount staked in the market legally fell by 13% year on year to €8.2bn, with tax receipts for the government falling to €433m.
However, the regulator has challenged the DSWV’s claims, stating they do not “correspond” with its own research.
According to the GGL’s analysis based on tax data provide by Germany’s finance minister, the channelisation rate in Germany is well above 95%, suggesting less than 5% is heading to black-market operators.
Ronald Benter, GGL board member, said: “The GGL is picking up speed in the fight against illegal gambling, including in the area of sports betting and related advertising. We will make success measurable on the basis of the data collected at GGL.”
Benter also hit out at operators for “insufficient cooperation” with the regulator which, he said, was preventing faster channelisation in the market.
Benter added: “We are well on the way to creating an attractive legal market. The majority of permit applications have been approved.
“Nevertheless, we still see insufficient cooperation on the part of online gambling providers. This applies to both the payment of security deposits and defects in the individual games submitted in the field of virtual slot machines.
“This delays the permitting process and prevents faster channelling from the illegal to the legal market. We pull together with the providers willing to legalise, and together pursue the goal of creating a level playing field while complying with the protection of players and minors.
“But we would like to see more effort on the part of the providers here,” he added.