German states attack German FA over bwin partnership
States issue letter to DFB over bwin sponsorship concerns
The German Football Association (DFB) has come under fire from German state authorities over its sponsorship agreement with GVC’s bwin brand.
In a letter sent by the Ministry of the Interior of Baden-Württemberg in concert with several other states, the authorities jointly attacked the DFB’s partnership with bwin over concerns about legality of bwin’s online casino and slots games.
The states said the “relevant case law leaves no room for doubt about the illegality of such offers”.
Indeed, the authorities have threatened to stop all advertising of bwin, if the DFB does not change its marketing approach.
Responding to the letter, a spokesperson for GVC said bwin’s partnership with the DFB “specifically relates” to sports betting, which is legal In Germany and “understood by the German public as such.”
The operator said it was working with the DFB to address any concerns and ensure that its marketing assets were used to promote betting rather than casino.
A spokesperson added: “The Group pays all applicable German taxes on its casino products and is actively working with German authorities towards the development of a viable regulatory framework for online casino products that is consistent with EU law.”
In January, the DFB agreed a four-year extension to its sponsorship deal with bwin with a responsible gambling theme, focusing on prevention programmes for gambling addiction and match-fixing. Bwin also holds advertising rights for the DFB and Germany’s national teams, as well as the DFB Cup and the women’s Bundesliga.
Last week, a number of German telecommunications regulators sent a joint letter to several German broadcasters criticising them over their advertising of online casino gambling. According to the letter, complaints have been received about gambling advertising shown by over 300 television channels and 200 radio stations.
In the letter, first reported by German media outlets Süddeutsche Zeitung and NDR, the telecoms regulators claimed the advertising of online casinos is illegal and has “repeatedly been determined by the German Supreme Court”.
The letter requests that all advertisers take the ban into account when considering the “future placement of advertising in your programmes”.
The complaints come as German states move closer to a sports betting licensing regime.