Berlin has really done it: the amusement tax that arcade operators have to pay to the tax authorities for their offers has been raised from 20 to 25 percent, i.e. by a whole 5 percentage points. There has been an outcry in the industry (which has been ongoing for weeks): insiders have issued warnings about an "absurd policy", fearing a "severe setback in the fight against rampant illegal gambling" and predicting far-reaching risks of insolvency. There is even a suggestion that the tax increase could be compensated for by charging entry fees for gambling tickets!
According to the Gambling Atlas 2023, around 4.6 million adults in Germany alone are addicted to gambling or at least show symptoms of gambling addiction. More and more of those affected are seeking help in self-help groups in order to reflect on their gambling behavior and then, at best, regulate it. But is a self-help group really an effective means of combating gambling addiction?
Schnick, Schnack, Schnuck, also known as Scissors, Rock, Paper, is a very popular and widespread game, especially among children. In theory, this game is perfectly balanced, as every player has the same chance of winning. But does that make it a game of chance? Opinions on this still differ widely today.
Paris is world-famous for the Moulin Rouge, the glamorous cabaret, the Eiffel Tower light show, the creative street performers in Montmartre or the iconic theaters of the Opéra Garnier. These sights are an expression of the cultural openness of a city that is always at the forefront of art and entertainment. When it comes to gambling, however, the city is no joke. In fact, casinos have long been banned - and now even the so-called gambling clubs may have to close. Would it be conceivable to make Berlin gambling-free too?
In 2024, the Darmstadt Regional Council (RP) processed an average of over 14 million queries per day via the OASIS player blocking system. In total, over five billion OASIS queries were made last year. But how can it be that there are tens of millions of such queries every day?
In the recent past, it has primarily been the up-and-coming talents who have left their mark on modern poker: with ambitious approaches, sometimes unconventional strategies and an unprecedented ease in dealing with digital possibilities. But other influences such as AI and fast poker variants also play an important role in the ongoing development of the game. A profound change is indeed on the horizon.
Organized crime and gambling - a never-ending story. In the case of the Austrian "Kajot" gang, which is said to have operated illegal slot machines on a grand scale over a long period of time, this saying takes on a whole new meaning: the authorities have been unable to arrest the masterminds for years. They defended themselves with tactical dodges and even tried to blame an investigator's mental illness on the courts.
Poker used to be shady and was often played in back rooms. Those days are now a thing of the past: the game has become almost mainstream thanks to TV broadcasts, regular reports in the general press and, last but not least, celebrities getting involved at the felt table or acting as advertising faces. Online poker has played a significant role in this development. A new ARD documentary takes a look at this structure, revealing interesting details.
The flames have been raging in Southern California since January 7. So far, at least 24 deaths have been officially confirmed. The large-scale forest fires are caused by a combination of extremely dry conditions and strong winds. Many gambling companies from nearby Las Vegas are now also supporting the victims of the catastrophic fire.
The Federal Statistical Office has just published the tax revenue from games of chance for 2023. In a ten-year comparison, there was an overall increase of 51 percent, which is undoubtedly more than respectable. However, explosive details can be found further in the background: Virtual slot machines, online poker and sports betting, for example, were down in tax terms - and significantly so. Slots even saw an incredible 38 percent drop! How can such a drastic slump be explained?
Even in regulated European markets, the allocation of operator and ownership structures for online casinos quickly becomes difficult. Not to mention the many offshore platforms that deliberately conceal their data in order to remain under the radar in regions for which they do not have a license. Now a major data leak is providing specific insights into the world of such companies. Several tens of thousands of internal documents are said to show how laws are being circumvented across Europe and how the authorities are forced to watch powerlessly.
Mergers and acquisitions are the order of the day in business. However, some deals are a particular talking point. This is also the case with Novomatic's latest announcement: around 200 betting outlets of the Admiral Group in Austria are to be sold to its German competitor Tipico, which itself operates numerous outlets in the country. Why leave the market to one of its biggest competitors?
There is never a dull moment in German amusement arcades. If you take a look at the local press, you will be confronted with robberies, break-ins and rowdy customers on an almost daily basis. In today's article, we have summarized in a nutshell what can happen in amusement arcades in a single week.
The gambling market in the Netherlands is strictly regulated, but also very successful. The channeling rate appears to be excellent - and the authorities regularly make headlines for their strict approach to illegal activities in the country. The latter was recently the case again when the local gambling supervisory authority threatened two offshore operators with fines of 280,000 euros per week.
Large construction projects cost a lot of money and are often associated with considerable difficulties. Almost every day, there are reports in the regional and national press about blocked approvals, exploding costs or failed projects. However, disputes such as the one currently surrounding the renowned Casino Pfäffikon in the municipality of Freienbach in the Swiss canton of Schwyz do not occur every day. It involves 11 million Swiss francs and more.
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Christian_1994