The billion euro gaming group Gauselmann has officially changed its name as of 1 January 2024. As the Espelkamp-based company announced in a press release, the company, which was founded in 1957, will now be known as the Merkur Group. But what are the reasons for the name change?
Christian_1994
2023 is behind us. We would like to take this opportunity to look back on another eventful year. What has happened in the German online gaming market over the past twelve months? Find out in our comprehensive review of 2023.
Christian_1994
The State Treaty on Gambling of 2021 (GlüStV) and its regulations are regularly the subject of heated debate. This is the case once again: a study by the University of Leipzig suggests that one of the main goals of the GlüStV, to channel players into the legal market, is being missed by a wide margin. The very restrictive course currently being pursued, with its many limitations, is making channelling much more difficult.
Chris_W
The Greek financial services provider OKTO wants to expand its market strength, especially in the gaming segment for Germany. In addition to OKTO.WALLET, which has been officially approved since spring 2023, a new payment system, OKTO.CASH, is being made available to fulfill this plan. This offer has now also been given the go-ahead by the Joint Gaming Authority of the Federal States (GGL). And how does it work?
Chris_W
Digitalisation and technological development are making inexorable progress in all areas of life. Apps and AI bots have long supported our daily lives in a variety of ways. A lot has happened in the live casino as well. As well as new games and features, in some places the dealers are no longer what they used to be. The developer CreedRoomz has even been offering games with robots as dealers for some time now.
Chris_W
Bally Wulff is one of the best-selling casino games developers in the German-speaking world. Under the umbrella of Apex Gaming, the company produces slot games for pubs, arcades and online casinos. The company is now looking to expand its expertise through a new partnership with German software provider Apparat Gaming. The partnership is no coincidence and is based on a long-standing relationship at management level. What can we as players expect from this partnership?
Chris_W
The renowned Rabbit Entertain IT Limited has succeeded in pushing through higher deposit limits for its German online casinos. Previously, the monthly deposit limit was 1,000 euros per player across all providers. If a user can prove a good credit rating, the deposit limit is now at least 10,000 Euros per month. In exceptional cases, up to €30,000 per month is possible.
Christian_1994
Crash games tend to be simple, fast and easy to play on mobile devices and are particularly popular with millennials. This represents a huge potential for developers, who are releasing more and more of these titles. Spribe's Aviator is at the forefront of this trend. Giorgi Tsutskiridze, the company's Chief Commercial Officer, recently commented on the boom in an interview.
Chris_W
The German Sports Betting Association and Mindway AI recently released an AI-assisted self-test in the form of a card game called "Gamalyze". Gamers can use this tool to analyse their gambling behaviour. In addition to a precise list of gambling problem susceptibilities and corresponding warnings, the test also provides specific tips on how to reduce the risk.
Chris_W
Gambling in Germany and its regulation is a constant topic of discussion. In this context, studies are regularly carried out to examine specific aspects. The Gambling Survey 2021 is one of them. It focuses in particular on the gambling behaviour of the population and possible related problems. This study has now been fundamentally criticised by the renowned statistician Katharina Schüller.
Chris_W
There has been some upheaval at Microgaming recently. In particular, the sale of Quickfire has caused quite a stir in the industry. New boss and CEO Stephen Fisk said in a recent interview that the company now wants to focus on the platform business. This is where the roots of the company lie - and this is how the brand became big in the first place, he points out.
Chris_W
Halloween will be celebrated again this year on the night of 31 October to 1 November 2023. Many online casinos offer dark and spooky slot machines to match the Halloween festivities. These are often equipped with rewarding bonus features and other highlights. Just in time for the festival of pumpkins, we have taken a closer look at some promising Halloween slots.
Christian_1994
Online casinos are more popular than ever: Since the legalisation and official licensing of digital gaming halls in Germany, the online gaming market has taken off. Many bricks-and-mortar casino operators want a piece of the action. However, the hurdle for entering the online slot business is very high - at least financially. The spielglück.de project aims to help these operators set up their own websites. What does that mean?
Chris_W
The Curacao Gaming Authority introduced a new application process for online casinos a few days ago. Since the 1st of September, companies have been able to apply for a "Curacao Licence" on the authority's website in order to be able to offer online gambling once the licence has been granted. But what are the requirements for licensees and how does the new licensing system affect German players?
Christian_1994
HAPPYBET is primarily a sports betting provider, serving its customers both via an online platform and in local betting shops. The company had already decided some time ago to enter the slots market. The licence to do so was granted by the Joint Gaming Authority of the Länder in the summer of 2023. The first slots can now be found on the revamped website. How is the portfolio presented?
Chris_W