According to the State Treaty on Gambling of 2021, online table games are generally permitted in Germany. However, regulation is not nationwide, as is the case with virtual machines, but is a matter for the federal states. This inconsistent solution has meant that roulette, blackjack and the like cannot be played online in many places to this day (at least not legally). Baden-Württemberg has recently become one of the few regions to approve such casino games. However, only from a state provider and, of course, only within the state borders.
Since the end of February, the German online casinos JackpotPiraten and BingBong have finally been offering the option of taking out various premium memberships. Subscription models are available from 5.99 euros per month plus one-off costs from 1.99 euros. But what added value does the JackpotPiraten subscription offer in practice? This much can already be revealed: In the meantime, I have played my way up from 1 euro to over 430 euros.
The Gambling Survey is considered the most important data collection on gambling participation in Germany. The Institute for Interdisciplinary Addiction and Drug Research (ISD) and the Gambling Research Unit at the University of Bremen have been in charge since 2021. Compared to the last survey conducted by the previously responsible Federal Center for Health Education (BZgA), the figures shot up by an astonishing 550 percent practically overnight! Many people then asked themselves: Can this be right? Apparently not, as a new Forsa study now suggests. The result should give those responsible for the gambling survey a real stomach ache.
In the Netherlands, there is market freedom for online gambling, while land-based casinos are subject to a state monopoly. However, this could soon be over, as Teun Struycken, Minister for Legal Protection, recently stated that the government is working on updating the current regulations and plans to submit them to the House of Representatives in March 2025. Lifting the casino monopoly would be a big deal.
As part of the know-your-customer (KYC) process, gambling providers verify the identity and age of players. For this purpose, users usually have to present a valid ID document and, depending on the verification option, take a selfie or provide the provider with other personal documents. But which casino verification options have now become established in Germany?
The JackpotPiraten casino now offers its visitors 687 online slots and allows depositors to play for as little as one euro. Deutsche Gesellschaft für Glücksspiel mbH (DGGS) from Berlin is responsible for the operation. I started another self-experiment and deliberately deposited just 10 euros to see if you can have fun with a small budget and maybe even win something. So how did the day at JackpotPiraten go?
The traditional Wiesbaden casino needs a new operator. In February 2025, the city of Wiesbaden will publish a corresponding invitation to tender. The winner of the tender will then be allowed to operate the popular location for the next 15 years. However, there is already a favorite that will most likely operate the casino in the future. But of course the competition never sleeps.
Gambling providers repeatedly come into conflict with regulations - usually not deliberately, but rather by mistake. This is probably also the case with the current case involving the bwin operator Entain. As announced by the Australian authority for combating serious abuse of the local financial system, legal proceedings have been initiated against the group. The accusation of "breaches of the Anti-Money Laundering and Counter-Terrorism Financing Act" sounds pretty awesome at first. Let's take a look at what's behind it.
In spring 2025, Vienna's Addiction and Drug Coordination will probably have a new "weapon" at its disposal to investigate violations of gambling regulations: A new law, should make it possible in future to smuggle young people into gambling halls as undercover test subjects, for example. Can it really be legal to use minors for such investigations? It is also interesting to note that the Vienna Youth Protection Act apparently only contains an inadequate ban on young people participating in games of chance.
Even the big players in the gambling industry are occasionally in need of an explanation due to unauthorized actions. This is currently the case in Sweden, where judges recently imposed fines of up to 30 million crowns on Mr Green, Spooniker and ComeOn! The sums were originally even higher. The proceedings lasted several years. Why is it taking so long?
The association The European Lotteries represents the national lottery companies in Europe. It is primarily committed to promoting safe gaming and regularly audits its members in this regard. The lottery and casino administration in Bavaria was recently awarded gold status for special achievements. This means that it voluntarily exceeds the strict requirements of the State Treaty on Gambling (GlüStV) of 2021. But what exactly does this mean?
The EMEA Global Gaming Awards are a comparatively young award ceremony. However, due to their strong focus on Europe, they are already one of the most prestigious events in the gaming industry. They took place for the second time at the end of January 2025, with many companies from the German market receiving awards. Who is doing particularly well? It may be worthwhile for players to take a closer look here.
A new task force has recently been set up in Berlin. As is typical of the authorities, it bears the rather uninspiring name "Cooperation Platform for Combating Organized Crime with a Focus on Profit-Skimming Crime in Berlin's Commercial Sector" and is abbreviated to "OK BeGe". But why is there a new task force and what does the Berlin justice administration hope to gain from it?
Crooks are usually resourceful and often quite brazen when it comes to covering up their schemes. This also seems to be the case in the case of an apparently illegal poker round in Werdohl (Sauerland) in North Rhine-Westphalia. The main defendant claimed in court that he had been celebrating the Muslim festival of Eid. None of the participants claimed to have gambled or to have seen anyone gambling. However, the police report and the evidence paint a completely different picture.
The SlotMagie online casino has a promising loyalty program that hardly anyone knows about. We are talking about the SlotMagie Gold Club, a program for frequent players. There are three levels in total - Bronze, Silver and Gold. But how attractive is the Gold Club in practice and is it worth joining?
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