Gaming in Germany Newsletter – German regulator orders ISPs to block access to Lottoland

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VIDEO | Gaming in Germany conference sessions

We were extremely happy to meet so many of you in person during last month's Gaming in Germany Conference. Below, you will find a list of all recorded sessions – in case you were unable to attend the event or would simply like to revisit one or more of the conference sessions.

German iGaming regulation & the global perspective

Regulators in dialogue

The industry's viewpoint

  • DOCV: Dr. Dirk Quermann, President Deutscher Online Casinoverband
  • DSWV: Mathias Dahms, President Deutscher Sportwettenverband
  • Panel discussion: Dr. Dirk Quermann, Mathias Dahms, Dr. Jörg Hofmann

Social responsibility

  • LUGAS: Felix Schleife, Advisor, Landesverwaltungsamt Sachsen-Anhalt; Jan Kretschmer, Senior Manager Public Policy, Lotto24
  • Social responsibility (panel): Dr. Tilman Becker, CEO, TC Becker Consult; Dr. Anke Quack, Head of Player Protection & Prevention Center, University of Mainz; Robert Müller-Oeltz, Advisor, Landesverwaltungsamt Sachsen-Anhalt

Market data

Taxation & compliance

Marketing

  • Marketing & marketing restrictions (panel): Alexander Nitt, Legal Counsel, DSWV; Maarten Haijer, Secretary General, EGBA; Melanie Hainzer, CMO, Rootz; Claus Retschitzegger, Head of Legal/Public Affairs, bet-at-home; Johannes Brecher, Senior Director, lead link

The case for the German market

Looking to the future

In addition to these video recordings, a photo stream of the event is available here.

Finally, we would like to take this opportunity to once again thank our strategic partners and sponsors, Melchers Law Firm, Altenar, Gamanza, IDNow, Mindway AI, Oryx, and PlaynGo, as well as trade associations DOCV and DSWV, for making the 2022 Gaming in Germany Conference possible. Thank you very much!

Rootz and Tipico receive virtual slots licenses

Rootz and Tipico have become the tenth and eleventh licensed providers of virtual slots games in Germany.

Tipico previously received an online sports betting license in the country.

German government official calls for 9 pm watershed for broadcast and online gambling advertising

As part of the country's Gambling Addiction Action Day 2022, which took place on September 28, Germany's federal commissioner for addiction and drug issues, Burkhard Blienert called for a 9 pm watershed for TV and online gambling ads.

Blienert: “Advertising for online gambling and sports betting is spreading at breakneck speed. This trend is concerning because hundreds of thousands of people exhibit problematic gambling behavior or are already addicted. I urge the states to restrict such advertising. In plain language: no more sports betting advertising before 9 pm. Neither on TV nor on the Internet!”

Maltese iGaming executive receives prison sentence in Germany for tax evasion

Maltese gaming consultant Iosif Galea, a director of Tipbet-operator Tipin, has been sentenced to 2.5 years in prison after he was found guilty of aggravated tax evasion between 2017 and 2019.

Tipin received a German sports betting license in October 2020 and is also on Germany’s most recent whitelist of approved operators. German tax authorities have long held that iGaming companies active in the German market are required to pay tax in Germany, irrespective of whether they are licensed in Germany.

Jörg Hofmann, senior partner at Melchers Law Firm, commented that anyone who is believed by the German tax authorities to have evaded gambling taxes – whether the former 19% VAT on GGR or the current gambling levy of 5.3% on stakes – may expect criminal prosecution.

“Those who have tax debts can only avoid criminal sanctions if they file a so-called penalty-exempt self-declaration with the competent tax office before it becomes aware of their tax debts,“ Hofmann added.

German regulator orders ISPs to block access to Lottoland

Germany's new national regulator, the Gemeinsame Glücksspielbehörde der Länder (GGL) has ordered five internet service providers to block their customers’ access to the web pages of lottery betting provider Lottoland.

“ISPs who, despite the GGL's order, do not prevent access to unauthorized gambling offers may face fines,” said GGL Co-Chair Ronald Benter. “We are aware that we are entering new legal territory and that our actions will be subject to judicial review.”

Earlier, the GGL had succeeded in convincing several payment service providers to terminate their cooperation with Lottoland.

Penalties for ISPs who ignore the GGL's orders can be “substantial,” the regulator said. In addition, the GGL may refer unlicensed operators to the tax authorities for criminal prosecution, the regulator's leadership stressed.