German ministers ratify new Interstate Treaty on Gambling
Nationwide German regulator to be set up in Saxony-Anhalt
Prime Ministers from all sixteen German states have ratified the new Interstate Treaty (IST) on gambling, paving the way for online casino and sports betting nationwide from July 2021.
A first iteration of the IST on the Revision of Gambling Legislation in Germany was agreed in principle in January, pending a full meeting of Prime Ministers from all states, which took place yesterday in Berlin.
Each individual state parliament will now rubber stamp the treaty, and finally to the European Commission for approval pending full passage into law. However, EGR understands that certain aspects of the treaty were amended in yesterday’s meeting.
Full details of the amendments have not been released, but the new nationwide gambling regulator will be based in the state of Saxony-Anhalt, according to the German Press Agency. It is understood that the new regulatory entity will be established on 1 July 2021.
At present, responsibility for gambling regulation rests with individual states, however the state of Hesse is currently overseeing the licensing of sports betting operators at a national level as part of the existing interim IST, which expires in 2021.
The Darmstadt Regional Council, which administers the process on behalf of the state, recently lobbied to be given full regulatory powers to administer licensing once the new treaty comes into force.
As part of this, the council has undertaken a recruitment drive and will become Germany’s largest gambling regulator by the end of 2020.
If approved in its current guise, the IST on the Revision of Gambling Legislation in Germany would include deposit limits of €1,000 per month for all online casino players.
In addition, the treaty would ban the sponsorship of German sports teams by gambling operators, as well as imposing an advertising ban between 6am and 9pm for all online casino ads appearing online and on the radio.
Sports betting advertising before or during a live broadcast of sports events would be entirely prohibited under the treaty.
Licences for online casino and sports betting will be valid for a term of seven years.