Lottoland applies for German lottery licence
Operator aims to take on state-owned monopoly with first large-scale, privately-run lottery
Lottoland has filed an application with “several” German states to run its own lottery in the country, the operator announced today.
The firm said it would offer the first privately-run major lottery in Germany, in direct competition with the state-run product.
If approved Lottoland said it will offer a game similar to the German lottery classic ‘Lotto 6aus49’ or the European multi-state lottery, Euro jackpot.
“With more than five million customers, we understand what lottery players worldwide are looking for,” said Lottoland spokesperson Dr. Rolf Stypmann. “Now we want extend our offering even further and set up our own lottery in Germany.”
The operator told EGR Intel recently it was seeking to expand beyond its core bet-on-lotteries product.
Under the Germany plans, tickets would be sold via lottery terminals and Lottoland collection points, as well as the internet.
It is still unknown whether any of the German states will grant the licence, but Stypmann said Lottoland had a sound legal case.
“Organisationally, private companies are able to handle lotteries at the level of state lotteries. This is what we experience in Italy, UK and Austria,” said Stypmann.
Stypmann also criticised the German State Lottery Association which he said had an interest in maintaining the public lottery monopoly and “refusing any kind of progress”.
He added: “In February the German State Lottery Association called on sports betting firms to agree on mutual standards for an opening of the sport betting market. No comparable measures have been taken concerning the lottery sector, which is safer in terms of manipulation and less dangerous. This is absurd.”