Sports betting is a gigantic market, the international scale of which remains hidden from most people. A recent ARD documentary shows that the business is flourishing in Asia in particular - often under questionable conditions. Licenses are usually not available and betting fraud seems to be the order of the day. Experts estimate the turnover from illegal activities alone at well over 1 trillion euros - a figure with 13 digits! In the midst of this, Bundesliga clubs have partnerships with various dubious betting sites and presumably profit handsomely from the hustle and bustle.
There is a lot of unrest in German amateur football at the moment: almost every week there are new reports about illegal sports betting on matches, reprimands for data scouts who provide match statistics to bookmakers or even potential match-fixing for betting purposes. The controversy has now prompted DFB partner Interwetten to cancel betting on amateur matches - at least in the German leagues.
The Austrian sports betting provider Interwetten recently announced a new advertising deal with an NFL team. From now on, it will be working with none other than the record-breaking champions, the New England Patriots. What does this mean and can a partnership with a US football team be worthwhile for a German-speaking bookmaker?
In recent weeks, amateur football in Germany has increasingly become the focus of media attention. The attention was triggered by a documentary on public TV channels, which showed that sports betting on such games is widespread and that those responsible in Germany often have no idea about it. The judiciary has so far kept a low profile. In the latest case, however, the DFB called in the Federal Criminal Police Office: up to 17 matches are said to have been manipulated for betting purposes.
Betano is undoubtedly one of the biggest names in the gambling industry in German-speaking countries. This was underpinned by its sponsorship of the European Football Championship 2024, among other things. Many of us know the company as an Austrian sports betting provider. But not everyone knows that: The bookie, together with its Greek parent company Kaizen Gaming, is getting involved in more and more markets worldwide. Just recently, partnerships were announced for two more international UEFA tournaments.
Sports betting on amateur soccer is prohibited in Germany. Internationally, however, they are offered on a large scale - including for matches in Germany. What is curious is that the topic seems to be uncharted territory for German clubs and even DFB officials. This was revealed in a recent TV documentary by public broadcasters. The report takes a comprehensive look at such betting, in which so-called data scouts play a central role. These information providers for the bookies are now receiving increased attention from the clubs and associations.
A joint documentary by various public broadcasters (ÖRR), which was originally broadcast as part of the “ARD Story” series, recently provided interesting insights into the business of betting on German amateur soccer. According to the report, the coverage of this betting market is indeed immense, but many clubs and even the DFB were previously unaware of this. We report on the key function of data scouts and the reaction at club level.
Football is still by far the most popular sport in Germany today. According to Statista, in 2023 there were more than 3.4 million people in Germany who play football themselves in their free time. In addition, there are millions of other sports fans who regularly watch the games at least on TV or in the stadium. The amateur leagues are also becoming increasingly popular. But is betting on amateur league matches even allowed?
The 2024 Summer Olympics are over after just under three weeks. A total of over 300 competitions took place, in which the 206 participating countries competed for medals. In the end, however, it was not only the athletes who were delighted with their medals, but also the betting providers who enjoyed impressive turnover during the Olympic Games.
Bet3000 is currently making headlines: With the removal of the sports betting provider from the whitelist, there was initially speculation as to how this could have happened. Official statements have since been issued and the company's stationary betting shops are allowed to continue their business activities following a lawsuit. Users are still shown a maintenance page online. The incidents have now led to TSV 1860 Munich literally cancelling Bet3000 as an ‘exclusive partner’.
Even in times when online sports betting platforms are available everywhere and at all times, real betting shops are still a big hit. Placing bets on site can have certain advantages and a special charm. The Merkur gaming group also recognises this with its Merkur Bets sports betting. The brand's first betting shop opened at the beginning of July. Find out all about it here!
The rumour mill at the well-known German gambling provider Bet3000 has been churning for a few days now. Since the last update on 25 July 2024, IBA Entertainment Limited, the company behind Bet3000, is no longer on the official whitelist. So has Bet3000 now voluntarily withdrawn from the German sports betting market or has the authority revoked the provider's licence?
Betting providers are always working with well-known personalities to present their brands in a positive light. Professional athletes or other sports-related celebrities are naturally particularly favoured. sportwetten.de also wants to play the celebrity card in its favour. However, with Robert Geiss as a partner, they seem to be pursuing a slightly different strategy: Instead of sporting expertise, wealth and lifestyle are likely to be the arguments that count here.
With the upcoming Olympic Games and two major international football tournaments, FIFA President Gianni Infantino used an event in honour of Pelé to remind players to "honour the game". He made the association's position on betting offences clear. Misdemeanours would not be tolerated under any circumstances.
The European Football Championship is in full swing - and a clear winner is already emerging: the sports betting industry association DSWV is predicting enormous turnover. We are talking about no less than 1 billion euros! In addition, they want to use the event as an opportunity to take market share away from illegal providers.
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