For many, a game at the grab machine is an integral part of a visit to the funfair. In Georgsmarienhütte in Lower Saxony, however, this could soon become more difficult: The town council is discussing an extensive ban on the machines at local events due to their gambling nature. Although a complete ban is unlikely, a reduction is looming. In fact, such grippers and classic gaming machines are not all that different.
For the second year in a row, the number of cases of illegal gambling in the police crime statistics (PKS) has risen significantly. In 2024, the police recorded a total of exactly 6,247 cases of illegal gambling in accordance with Sections 284, 285 and 287 of the German Criminal Code (StGB). But why is it that the number of cases also rose significantly last year?
Illegal online gambling is growing across Europe - despite strict regulation. Insiders warn that tough measures are of little help - in some cases they can even strengthen the black market. It would be more effective to understand the players. The German model is also part of the debate.
Just before Christmas 2024, two Paderborn residents who allegedly amassed a small fortune with the help of illegal slot machines made headlines. The two were caught during a raid. Several gaming machines, as well as luxury cars, Rolex watches and other valuables, were among the items seized. The investigation is ongoing. You would think that this would put an end to the scam. But far from it: the perpetrators have now been caught again brokering illegal games of chance. This time the handcuffs clicked.
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?
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.
E-sports teams are financed to a large extent by sponsorship. Gaming providers are only too happy to enter into such deals due to the rather lucrative circumstances for their purposes. However, game developers and event organizers are often critical of such partnerships. After a long period of resistance, League of Legends and Valorant creator Riot Games has now allowed gambling advertising. How did this rethink come about and why is gaming actually so attractive as an advertising medium for the gaming industry?
Lotto is the Germans' favorite game of chance, that much is certain. However, the figures that have now come out with the German Lotto and Totoblock's annual report for 2024 may have impressed even those responsible at the association. The official report speaks of a "strong year for luck". "193 million winnings in Germany - on average a new millionaire every other day": and that is just one of the many exciting facts that the review provides.
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.
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.
Shortly before Christmas, the Paderborn police and public prosecutor's office announced an important blow against illegal gambling in the region. Two men were arrested for allegedly operating several slot machines without authorization. The investigators seized assets worth several million euros. Explosive: the perpetrators were already known for similar offenses.
For those who want to know exactly whether a particular gambling provider has a German licence or not, the whitelist of the Joint Gambling Authority of the Federal States (GGL) is the first port of call. All legal operators in Germany are listed there in detail with specific company and licence data. However, it was previously difficult to obtain an overview, as the list was only available for download in PDF format. This is set to change with the new, now fully interactive version, which also includes various search filters.
The British player protection organisation GambleAware published its list of donations for the first quarter of this year a few days ago. According to this, GambleAware benefited from donations totalling the equivalent of just over 350,000 euros during this period. But how satisfactory is such an amount in view of the fact that several gambling companies, some of them worth billions, could donate?
Chris_W
Christian_1994