As a city inspector, Walter P. was actually responsible for ensuring that the city of Braunschweig received the amusement tax it was entitled to when gambling machines were used. However, the now 69-year-old decided to allow himself to be bribed by amusement arcade operators so that they would ultimately pay significantly less tax. The elderly gentleman has now had to answer for his actions at Braunschweig Regional Court.
Las Vegas is a city of superlatives that has produced numerous icons in the past and present. The Mirage is one of the things that are firmly associated with the gambling metropolis: the mega hotel with its tropical theme and volcano was one of the first of its kind - it symbolises an entire era of the city and was home to the famous predator show "Siegfried & Roy" with the white tigers. Now, after more than 30 years, it is to be closed once and for all.
A few days ago, 1. FC Kaiserslautern introduced its new main sponsor, the gambling provider Novoline. The licensed online casino, which is operated by BluBet Operations Limited, is part of the renowned gaming company Löwen Entertainment, based in nearby Bingen am Rhein. But how much money will the second division club receive from its new main sponsor and how long will the contract run for?
In Austria, the results of the first major study on in-game purchases were published a few weeks ago. The results showed that more than 50 per cent of young people have already used such features and invested considerable sums of money in the process. There are often strong parallels with typical games of chance. The debate on loot boxes and the like is likely to be fuelled once again.
Studies that look at gambling in Germany are anything but easy these days: the Gambling Survey in particular was heavily criticised at the end of last year and again at the beginning of 2024 due to possible methodological errors. Now the survey and those responsible for it are once again being criticised - and the gambling atlas is also being criticised. The Bremen FDP doubts that the surveys fulfil their actual claim to independence, as money from the gambling industry has apparently been used.
A few weeks ago, CDU MP Gitta Connemann asked the German government an interesting question regarding gaming machines in Germany. Specifically, the politician, who was born in Leer/Ostfriesland, wanted to know how the number of legally and illegally operated gaming machines has developed since 2012. The federal government's answer to this seemingly simple question was surprising.
Since the introduction of the State Treaty on Gambling (GlüStV) in summer 2021, strict conditions and restrictions have applied to online gambling in Germany. Among other things, gambling enthusiasts must accept a minimum playing time, a maximum stake of one euro per spin, a ban on autospin and a ban on progressive jackpots. But what do players miss most in German online casinos?
According to the recently published turnover figures for 2023, online casinos in Switzerland enjoyed a significant increase in turnover. Land-based casinos, on the other hand, suffered a decline in turnover. But will this trend continue in the coming years, meaning that land-based casinos could even face extinction in the long term?
A few days ago, a high-end Mallorcan restaurant was raided due to a special event for which a so-called mobile casino was provided. The Spanish authorities suspected illegal gambling at the casino-themed event. An investigation has now been launched against the organisers, a German couple. Was it all just a misunderstanding or was there a criminal offence?
The latest episode of the late-night show “ZDF Magazin Royale”, hosted by Jan Böhmermann, is all about sports betting. As usual, Böhmermann takes a critical look at the European Championship sponsor Betano, the Tipico franchise system and the dangers of sports betting. The show hardly says a positive word about sports betting in its 20 minutes or so. So does the satirical magazine show report too negatively on the hobby of millions of Germans?
The German Gambling Congress 2024 will take place in Berlin at the end of this month. The main topics include “Lootboxes” and “When illegality becomes normality”. The idea of the congress is for academics, politicians, regulators and gambling providers to enter into a joint dialog.
The Chinese shopping platform Temu often offers extreme bargains from every conceivable product category - from fashion to electronics and leisure items to home furnishings. However, the offers are repeatedly criticised for being too cheap, too unsafe and often misleading. Now advertising is also increasingly coming under scrutiny, with gambling-like elements designed to provide manipulative incentives to buy.
According to study data from the Federal Centre for Health Education (BZgA), around 430,000 people in Germany are affected by problematic gambling behaviour or a gambling addiction. So far, young male adults up to the age of 25 have been among the largest risk group. Researcher Dr Tobias Hayer has published a book entitled ‘Glücksspielprobleme im Alter’ (Gambling problems in old age) with new and exciting findings.
A total of over 270,000 player bans are currently active in the nationwide player ban file OASIS. With the exception of around 10,000 players, all players have blocked themselves. This is according to an answer from the Hessian Ministry of the Interior to a parliamentary question from the FDP parliamentary group in the state parliament.
During a raid in Hamburg a few days ago, police officers were astonished when they discovered an illegal gaming machine at a hairdresser's. The machine was also found at other locations. Police and employees of the Hamburg-Mitte district office also made finds at other checkpoints. A similar raid took place in Düsseldorf at the beginning of May.
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