German states allows online casino transitional period. Until the new law was implemented in July 2021, German federal states signed an agreement to allow online casino games on a provisional basis, provided that the operators comply with the new regulatory structure. The deadline to comply with the coming new gaming regulations is October 15.
According to reports in the German press, the minister-presidents of the 16 federal states, despite some resistance, decided not to take legal action against online slots currently being sold on the unregulated market, an amnesty proposal initially put forward in July.
Online companies currently operating in the unregulated market will have to implement steps set out in the Fourth Amendment referring to player protection guidelines and measures to tackle gambling addiction. By mid-October, all operators will also be expected to adhere to the legislation that will become effective from July 1, 2021 regarding each vertical.
During the transitional period, online slots will have to implement a €1 per spin stake limit and online table games such as blackjack and roulette will not permitted. Table games are supposed to be offered separately from slot gaming and each state may choose to grant a monopoly to its state lottery regarding this vertical.
The agreement to allow online games until the new regulatory framework enters into force stirred criticism from problem gambling groups in the country. The chairman of the national advisory board for gambling addiction, Hans-Jürgen Rumpf, branded the agreement a “free ticket for illegal providers” that are now being rewarded for having operated in the unregulated market for so long.
[image: Claudio Testa]
