More German licences won't solve problems, lawyer says
Cap on licences "just one of many problems" says German lawyer Martin Arendts as removal said to be under discussion
Proposals to lift the cap on the number of sports betting licences on offer in Germany would do little to “correct the faults” of the much criticised German licensing procedure, according to leading German gaming lawyer Martin Arendts.
Recent media reports in the country have suggested that the state of Hesse could remove the licensee cap, making way for more than the 20 recently licensed sports betting firms to operate in the country.
It’s rumoured Hesse prime minister Volker Bouffier could propose to remove the cap later this week, however, the prime ministers of each German state would first have to agree to the move.
The removal of the cap would be seen as a response to criticism over the limited number of licences awarded under the controversial Inter State Treaty however Arendts, attorney at German legal firm Arendts Anwalte, said such a move would not absolve the procedure of legal issues.
“Removing the cap of licences does not make the licensing procedure more transparent, the cap is just one of many problems,” he said.
“Increasing the cap will certainly not appease the operators and does not help to rectify the faults in the procedure,” he added.
Last month the Hesse Ministry of the Interior named 20 operators who had been successful in obtaining an online sports betting licence, triggering a number of unsuccessful applicants to issue legal proceedings.
Operators remain locked out of the market after an appeal against the interim suspension of the procedure by the Administrative Court of Wiesbaden was rejected last week.