Central Europe

A Balanced Take on Optimal RTP for New Turnover Taxation in Germany

Published

4 years ago

May 19, 2021

Reading Time: 4 minutes

What should be the optimal return to player (RTP)? This is a hotly debated question in the German gambling industry following the changes in the turnover taxation that are scheduled to come into force from 1 July 2021.

While several figures and many theories have been advanced, we found particular LinkedIn post by Robert Lenzhofer, Co-Founder and CEO of Hölle Games, particularly well-balanced and insightful.

We are reproducing the post with minor changes here, with permission from the author. You can find the original post here.

European Gaming Congress 2024 (Warsaw, Poland)

Over to Mr. Lenzhofer now…

I have published a LinkedIn poll recently with the title: “If/when Germany introduces the 5.3% turnover tax, what RTP rate is best suited considering both game-play and effective tax-paid?”

After one week and 120 votes from industry experts, the poll showed the following result:

There are a few ways of looking at this, but I think the key take-away is that the industry this poll represents is fairly evenly split between above 90% RTP and below 90% RTP.

The tax explained

First, to ensure we are on the same page, a quick explanation of the tax proposed:

Currently a 5.3% tax on turnover has been proposed and a draft-legislation does exist. I won’t go into the politics and the thinking behind this, but rather try to analyze the numbers.

A 5.3% tax on every bet being placed on an online slot means an operator can not offer an RTP over 94.7%. At 94.7% RTP, the operator would break even exactly on a bet-level, but obviously would lose money as marketing, employees and general operation have to be financed somehow. Considering financial overhead in any operation, that means the maximum RTP a casino is technically able to offer while avoiding bankruptcy is probably around 93% or more likely at 92%. This is the top ceiling and at the same time too high to be profitable.

Now, there is a bit of uncertainty and I’m also not entirely sure if the number to calculate against is 5.3% or rather 5.033%. The tax is 5.3% on turnover, meaning a 1 EUR bet causes a tax of 5.3 cents, which totals to 1.053 EUR. The tax-portion of 1.053 EUR is less than 5.3%. 100*5.3/(100+5.3) = 5.033 resp. 5.033%. I do calculations here in this document based on 5.3%.

How to balance RTP and profitability

We’ve established above that 93% or 92% is the top ceiling, but where is the bottom?

The table below shows how a Slots-operator will be taxed, calculated into the GGR-equivalent %-age number and cross-referenced with RTP. For reference, many other jurisdictions in Europe offer a GGR-based tax-rate of around 20%. As you can see from the table below, the 5.3% tax-rate on turnover wouldn’t be so bad, if players would accept 80% RTP. At 80% RTP, the GGR-equivalent tax-rate is 26.50% and thus a competitive tax-rate.

The coloring I have done here may be slightly biased, especially in terms of RTP so please take with a grain of salt. But if you roughly accept that the red-area you want to avoid on the RTP and on the GGR-% side, then you end up with an RTP-bandwidth between 84% and 91% to play with.

Further, and again granted you accept the coloring, an operator obviously wants to find an RTP in the green and a GGR-% in the green. Here we arrive at 88% and 89% RTP.

Now, a lot has been written that players will not accept such low RTP’s as say 84%. There are counter-arguments made that in land-based slots the RTP is exactly at that level and actually 88% is on the higher-end in land-based casinos.

On the other hand, for many market-participants the number “9” is a psychological blocker. Players, Affiliates and a couple of Slots-Studios I speak to feel very anxious offering product below 90% as this number still feels somewhat close to the industry-average of 94 to 97%. 89% sounds very different than 90%, although it is “just” 1% in RTP dropped.

Sportsbook vs. Casinos

It will be interesting to watch if Sportsbook or Sports-led brands will choose a differing RTP-rate than Pure-Play Casinos. A Sportsbook can more easily stay on a higher RTP and just pause all short-term expenses (bonus, marketing, etc.) and focus on cross-sell. A pure-play Casino will have to look a lot more closely on bottom-line and in my opinion will have a hard time offering e.g. 90% RTP-Slots as the GGR-equivalent tax-rate is 53%.

Game-Mechanics?

Will there be new Game-Mechanics invented to combat this problem? Looking at the table above again, the second column states how many spins a player on average can make until 1 EUR is spent depending on the RTP-Level. At 95% RTP this is 20 spins. Now, if a Game-Mechanic can be invented that provides a low mathematical RTP while at the same time provides a similar amount of real spins, then this could be a solution to the problem.

Conclusion

The above explanation is in no way complete – there are actually interesting studies which analyze how much an RTP is “felt” by the player and there is probably very good data the land-based industry has to offer.

But, to move away from being neutral, here’s what I personally think: The reality will be that everyone will push the RTP down and experiment with the lowest acceptable RTP as this maximizes their income. As such, come 1st of July, we’ll see a lot of RTP’s experimented with. Imagine you are a pure-play casino and you can provide a Game-Mechanic that feels good to the player and has a nice session length, while staying at or below 40% GGR-equivalent-tax. I believe things start to fall apart financially for an operator at 40% tax-rate. If you own your own media-assets and have good deals with your suppliers and run a tight operation then a 40% tax is possible to do really well in Germany. That means, the average-RTP across the portfolio will have to be around 87-88%. I think you can mix in 91% games into the portfolio just so that is part of the portfolio too, but the majority of revenue of the white-market in Germany will in my opinion come from Slots around 88% RTP. And since some games will be mixed in at 90/91% you can expected some slots to be mixed in at 84/85% rate as well.

Central Europe

Digitain Partners with Gamingtec to Expand Presence in Europe

Published

3 days ago

March 31, 2025

George Miller

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Reading Time: < 1 minute

Digitain is pleased to announce its partnership with Gamingtec’s Betters.pl brand, a rising sports betting operator in Poland, as part of its ongoing expansion in regulated markets.

Digitain is delighted to welcome Betters.pl, a brand of Gamingtec’s platform and a fast-growing sports betting operator in Poland, to its expanding network of partners. By combining Gamingtec’s local expertise and with Digitain’s advanced technology and extensive industry experience, this partnership aims to provide players in the region with a secure, engaging, and user-friendly betting experience. Digitain is confident that Gamingtec’s robust PAM will ensure seamless player account management, security, and compliance, enhancing the overall betting experience for the clients.

Through this partnership agreement, Digitain’s award-winning Sportsbook bespoke API solution will now be available for Betters.pl.

Ani Mkrtchyan, Digitain’s Chief Sales Officer, commented: “We are excited to expand the partnership with Gamingtec and support Betters.pl in delivering an outstanding sports betting experience in Poland. This collaboration aligns with our commitment to expanding in regulated markets and is yet another example of how we partner with industry leaders in gaming excellence—perfectly reflecting Digitain’s new brand slogan: ‘BUILT TO LEAD.’”

Andrei Beu, Commercial Director, added: “Partnering with Digitain marks another exciting strategic step forward for Gamingtec as we continue to strengthen and solidify our presence in the Polish market and drive our expansion across regulated markets within the EU. Digitain’s advanced Sportsbook technology and dedication to excellence aligns perfectly with our vision and ambitions to provide an unrivaled premium gaming experience for our players. This collaboration is yet another testament to Gamingtec’s position as a leading force in the iGaming industry”

The post Digitain Partners with Gamingtec to Expand Presence in Europe appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.

Central Europe

Altenar delivers sportsbook solution to MerkurXtip in Czech market

Published

1 month ago

March 3, 2025

George Miller

altenar-delivers-sportsbook-solution-to-merkurxtip-in-czech-market

Reading Time: < 1 minute

Leading sportsbook technology provider grows European footprint with major local operator

Altenar, a leading sports betting and iGaming software provider, has signed an agreement to provide its fully-managed sportsbook solution to Czech operator MerkurXtip.

The Merkur brand, formerly known as the Gauselmann Group, was founded in the 1970s. Its Czech online brand MerkurXtip CZ launched in 2022 and provides more than 200 slots and sports betting across a wide variety of sporting events..

Altenar’s sportsbook solution will replace the existing sportsbook product on the operator’s merkurxtip.cz website, providing a range of innovative features to elevate the betting experience for players, enhance retention rates and increase revenue.

The agreement strengthens Altenar’s position in the Czech market, where it secured its first deal in 2024. It has enjoyed successful ongoing partnerships with Kingsbet CZ and DATA.BET.

Sam Hill, Sales Director at Altenar, said: “The Merkur Group is a fantastic business with real heritage across the industry.

“To be trusted to take their brand forward in the Czech market is testament to the quality of product and service that Altenar provides today across numerous regulated markets. We can’t wait to get started and look forward to the development of our partnership with the Group.”

Stanislav Sopko, CEO of MerkurXtip CZ, said: “This collaboration marks the start of a promising journey together. Through this partnership, we aim to provide MerkurXtip’s customers with exceptional sports betting products from Altenar and deliver the best-in-class gaming experience in the market.

“We will combine our strengths and expertise to create new opportunities, improve offerings, and drive forward innovation. Stay tuned for more updates as we embark on this exciting venture together. We look forward to achieving great things in the months and years ahead.”

The post Altenar delivers sportsbook solution to MerkurXtip in Czech market appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.

Central Europe

GamingTECH CEE Awards 2025: The Online Voting Battle Begins February 12!

Published

2 months ago

February 10, 2025

George Miller

gamingtech-cee-awards-2025:-the-online-voting-battle-begins-february-12!

Reading Time: 3 minutes

The highly anticipated GamingTECH CEE Awards 2025 is entering its next thrilling phase as the online voting period kicks off on February 12 and runs through February 28, 2025. Nominees, get ready to enter the spotlight and prepare your communications campaigns! From the moment voting opens, all nominated companies and individual professionals will be visible, giving them the opportunity to rally support via social media and beyond to secure votes.

The GamingTECH CEE Awards celebrates outstanding achievements, embracing the latest advancements and industry trends in the region. Following a rigorous nomination process that concluded on January 19, the upcoming online voting session will determine the shortlists.

Key Dates:

Online Voting Period: February 12–28, 2025
Shortlist Announcement: March 4, 2025
Final Live Vote & Awards Ceremony: March 25, 2025, at the Prague Gaming & TECH Summit

New Rule for 2025:

This year, the GamingTECH CEE Awards introduces an important update: Each voter will only be allowed one vote for the entire online voting period. Nominees are encouraged to actively engage their industry peers and supporters to maximize their chances of advancing to the finals.

From “Shortlisted” to “Finalist”

Additionally, only shortlisted nominees who confirm their attendance at the Awards by purchasing a ticket for the Prague Gaming & TECH Summit will be eligible to advance to the final voting stage. This ensures a fair competition for the Awards between equally committed finalists, and a strong industry presence at the Summit to foster greater networking and engagement.

The final live vote will take place at the Prague Gaming & TECH Summit on March 25, 2025, where all event participants will have the opportunity to cast their votes and determine the ultimate winners. The winners will then be officially announced at the GamingTECH CEE Awards Ceremony, proudly sponsored and presented by Endorphina.

Awards Categories:

Individual Categories:

CEE iGaming Leader of the Year: Recognizing an individual from the CEE region who has demonstrated exceptional leadership, vision, and a strong impact in the iGaming industry. This person has driven growth and innovation in the region, setting the benchmark for others.
CEE Rising Star in iGaming: Celebrating an individual from the CEE region who has shown remarkable promise and potential in the iGaming industry early in their career. This award highlights emerging talent that is expected to shape the future of iGaming in the region.
CEE Innovator of the Year: Awarding the individual who has introduced the most groundbreaking innovations in the CEE iGaming sector. This person has significantly contributed to the evolution of the industry through unique products, services, or technologies tailored to the regional market.
CEE iGaming Influencer of the Year: Honoring a prominent individual whose influence and insights have significantly shaped the CEE iGaming community. Their thought leadership, content, or social presence has driven trends and fostered growth within the regional iGaming space.
Best iGaming CEO in CEE: Recognizing the CEO based in the CEE region who has led their company to new heights with outstanding strategic direction and business acumen. This award honors their ability to navigate the unique challenges of the CEE market and achieve exceptional business growth.

Get Involved & Secure Your Spot

Set your reminders and be ready for action on 12 February 2025! Encourage your peers, partners, and clients to participate in the voting process and ensure that your company or favorite nominee makes it to the final stage!

For more details on the awards, voting process, and ticketing information, visit https://hipther.com/events/prague/gamingtech-awards/ or contact HIPTHER at [email protected].

Join us in shaping the future of gaming and technology in CEE – Cast your vote and be part of the journey!

The post GamingTECH CEE Awards 2025: The Online Voting Battle Begins February 12! appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.