Connect with us
Prague Gaming & TECH Summit 2025

Industry News

Germany to Officially legalize online gambling and poker

Published

on

Photo Source: history.com

 

Germany’s relationship with online gambling has been in a grey area for quite a long time. It was largely illegal, except for about 20-something operators who had permission. There were not many legal gambling sites in Germany, and the process of obtaining a license was extremely hard and complicated.

According to a new regulation that will take place starting the 1st of July, Germany will be legalizing online casinos and poker officially, on a state level. The legislation was passed at a meeting in Berlin.

When will it go into effect?

The changes will be implemented slowly as the regulatory body Glücksspiel Neuregulierung Staatsvertrag /GlüändStv/ will be instantiating online casinos and poker among legal ways to gamble online.

As of now, only sports betting will be allowed for companies who obtain the license from Darmstadt Regional Council, for which 30 companies have already submitted an application, and about the same number is allegedly making plans to do so in the near future.

Advertisement
European Gaming Congress 2024 (Warsaw, Poland)

What do you need to know?

Sports betting will also be one of the subjects that will undergo some changes with new guidelines. Mainly, live betting will be limited to a degree, specifically how the bets are made on final results and the next scorers.

Besides poker and sports betting, most other casino games will be fully allowed as well, including the oft-desired slots which are very popular all around the world. Due to their popularity, slots will come with some very strict guidelines that need to be followed by each and every casino offering them. As an example, the maximum bet per spin will be limited to €1, along with a mandatory €1000 deposit limit. Slots will also need to be advertised and offered separately from all other table games, and they may not be advertised between the times of 6AM and 9PM.

One of the main advantages that this change will bring is the safety of the consumer. As stated, online gambling is a grey area in many countries, and that includes Germany. The government officially stepping in to regulate the environment ensures that people may safely try out a lot of different casinos. Comparing the best casino bonus codes is something that many gamblers use as a main deciding factor for choosing an online casino, but what they often miss is the safety aspect of it, meaning how trustworthy and legitimate a casino is. There’s also the issue of reliability of the software itself, payment processing and more. With the government officially setting standards, the bar will be much higher, ensuring higher overall quality for all players.

While these regulations are in place for the consumer’s protection and are made with the best intentions in mind, many in the gambling community, and also from the regulatory environment as well, are quite discontent with these changes. The German Sports Association (DSWV) president responded that while this was a good and positive step towards modern and regulation-compliant gambling market, these changes also may lead to some “undesirable structural developments”, which may pose challenges for future regulations.

The primary concern that many experts have risen is that these changes and regulations may lead people to search for other international options where limits are much higher. This results in an increased risk of playing at websites that are, to an extent, shady, or worse – illegal. Benevolent as they may be, how these regulations turn out to work will only be shown by time, but for now, experts are optimistic in their anticipation.

Advertisement
European Gaming Congress 2024 (Warsaw, Poland)

Industry News

IGT Achieves Improved ESG Score from FTSE Russell

Published

on

igt-achieves-improved-esg-score-from-ftse-russell
Reading Time: < 1 minute

 

International Game Technology PLC announced that it has achieved an environmental, social and governance (ESG) Score of 4.3 out of 5.0 from FTSE Russell, positioning IGT in the 97th percentile within the Travel and Leisure sector of FTSE Russell’s ESG Scores. This was an improvement from IGT’s previous ESG Score of 4.2 out of 5.0 in 2023, demonstrating its ongoing commitment to enhancing ESG performance.

“As a company committed to continually elevating our sustainability practices and leadership, IGT is proud to once again achieve an improved ESG score from FTSE Russell. Through our global Sustainable Play program, we execute sustainable practices and policies throughout our company and this improved score validates our ongoing efforts,” Wendy Montgomery, SVP of Marketing, Communications and Sustainability at IGT, said.

FTSE Russell’s ESG Scores and data model allows investors to understand a company’s exposure to, and management of, ESG issues in multiple dimensions. The ESG Scores are comprises an overall rating that breaks down into underlying pillar and theme exposures. Scores built on over 300 individual indicator assessments are applied to each company’s unique circumstances. The ESG Scores align with the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), all of which are reflected in FTSE Russell’s ESG framework.

Advertisement
European Gaming Congress 2024 (Warsaw, Poland)

The post IGT Achieves Improved ESG Score from FTSE Russell appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.

Continue Reading

Industry News

Super Group Appoints Merrick Wolman to its Board of Directors

Published

on

super-group-appoints-merrick-wolman-to-its-board-of-directors
Reading Time: < 1 minute

 

Super Group has appointed Merrick Wolman to its Board of Directors, effective from February 18, 2025.

Mr. Wolman is the Chief Executive Officer of a global finance company and has worked closely with the Super Group executive team for over two decades.

Neal Menashe, Chief Executive Officer of Super Group, said: “We are very pleased to welcome Merrick to the board. His deep understanding of the gaming industry, alongside his wide range of experience in executive roles, will be of great value as we continue to pursue our global growth strategy and build on our successes to date.”

Advertisement
European Gaming Congress 2024 (Warsaw, Poland)

This appointment brings the total directors on Super Group’s board to nine, including five independent directors.

The post Super Group Appoints Merrick Wolman to its Board of Directors appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.

Continue Reading

Industry News

Kindred Reports Decline in Revenue from High-risk Players for Q4 2024

Published

on

kindred-reports-decline-in-revenue-from-high-risk-players-for-q4-2024
Reading Time: < 1 minute

 

Kindred Group has reported decline in its share of revenue from high-risk players for the fourth quarter 2024 at 2.7% (Q3 2024 3.2%). The percentage of detected customers who exhibited improved behaviour after interventions showed an improvement at 92.2% (compared to 87.3% in Q3 2024). This positive trend is mainly the result of stricter measures across key markets, improved internal processes, as well as the exit from non-locally licensed markets as part of to the acquisition by La Française des Jeux (FDJ) in October 2024. This shift reflects Kindred’s broader commitment to maintaining high regulatory standards and fostering safer gambling practices.

“It is pleasing to see the decline in high-risk revenue during the fourth quarter of last year. We know that the share fluctuates between quarters, but the long-term trend is showing a steady decline. We remain dedicated and focused on improving our systems and processes to ensure we offer our customers a safe and fun experience,” Esther Scheepers, Head of Responsible Gambling at Kindred Group, said.

“The increased focus on responsible gambling by regulators and the industry is welcomed. From our end, we see that by combining our expertise with emerging technologies, we can further enhance detection capabilities. We are currently working on our existing detection system in combination with an additional system that will enable us to integrate more robust compliance features and optimize our overall approach to safer gambling. Furthermore, we are exploring opportunities to expand our research efforts, aiming to support data-driven discussions and looking at emerging trends in consumer protection. All these aspects are important to protect the integrity of the licence model and maintain a level playing field,” Esther Scheepers added.

Advertisement
European Gaming Congress 2024 (Warsaw, Poland)

The post Kindred Reports Decline in Revenue from High-risk Players for Q4 2024 appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.

Continue Reading

Trending

Get it on Google Play

Fresh slot games releases by the top brands of the industry. We provide you with the latest news straight from the entertainment industries.

The platform also hosts industry-relevant webinars, and provides detailed reports, making it a one-stop resource for anyone seeking information about operators, suppliers, regulators, and professional services in the European gaming market. The portal's primary goal is to keep its extensive reader base updated on the latest happenings, trends, and developments within the gaming and gambling sector, with an emphasis on the European market while also covering pertinent global news. It's an indispensable resource for gaming professionals, operators, and enthusiasts alike.

Contact us: [email protected]

Editorial / PR Submissions: [email protected]

Copyright © 2015 - 2024 - Recent Slot Releases is part of HIPTHER Agency. Registered in Romania under Proshirt SRL, Company number: 2134306, EU VAT ID: RO21343605. Office address: Blvd. 1 Decembrie 1918 nr.5, Targu Mures, Romania