German gambling body reiterates black market action plan

The German Sports Betting Association has restated its calls for measures to tackle the country’s black market ahead of the football European Championships this summer.

The DSWV said that with the tournament being hosted in Germany, it is “crucial” that the “many individuals” who will open betting accounts are directed towards the legal market.

The trade association said its 2023 data revealed legal sports betting providers in Germany recorded stakes amounting to €7.72bn, a decline of 5.4 per cent on the previous year.

The DSWV also reiterated the findings of a study by University of Leipzig professor Günther Schnabl, which found that about half of the time spent by German gamblers is on illegal sites.

“This alarming trend requires urgent action by the Joint Gambling Authority of the States,” it said. “Therefore, the DSWV calls for a realignment of current regulatory policies to strengthen the legal market and curb the black market.”

On the drop in legal stakes, the trade association said a key reason for the decline is the “migration of many players to illegal offers.”

“For example, regulated providers have been unable to compete with the extensive betting offers of the black market since the introduction of the State Treaty on Gambling in 2021, due to limited betting programs,” it added.

“Therefore, the association demands attractive conditions for regulated providers to remain competitive.”

Speaking during a press conference where the DSWV revealed its 2023 data, the trade association’s president, Mathias Dahms, said: “No company survives if it cannot advertise and that must continue to be the case for sports betting providers. Otherwise, players will turn to the black market, where there are no protective measures and controls.

“DSWV members are committed to their social responsibility and, together with other associations, finance the helpline of the Federal Center for Health Education (BZgA).

“However, for effective prevention of problematic gambling, we need valid scientific insights. It would be urgently necessary for the GGL or the Federal Ministry of Health to conduct a nationwide study on gambling addiction issues in the form of regular surveys in the future. This means that the same representative group is examined for their gambling behaviour, allowing for informed insights over time.”