Germany’s gambling regulator, Gemeinsamen Glücksspielbehörde der Länder (GGL), has joined Federal Drug Commissioner Blienert in warning customers ahead of the Euro 2024. As the tournament looms, the authority emphasized the dangers associated with illegal operators.
With the coming of the highly anticipated soccer event, the GGL expects an escalation in betting activity. As a result, the regulator is concerned that this would also mark an increase in gambling with black market operators.
In its official announcement, the GGL and Blienert once emphasized that gambling with unlicensed operators is not only punishable but also carries a significant risk of causing harm. The authorities noted that illegal operators do not comply with the relevant regulations and, by extension, do not have sufficient safeguards to mitigate harmful gambling or prevent minors from participating in games of chance.
Instead, the GGL advised players to seek legal operators and familiarize themselves with the regulatory information provided by the GGL and other regulatory bodies.
Players Should Only Play with Licensed Companies
The GGL further explained that sports betting is a form of gambling where players can lose a lot of money, no matter how well-versed they are in sports. Unforeseen circumstances can always change the outcome of a game, allowing the sector to keep fans excited at all times.
As a result, sports betting is strictly regulated in Germany. Operators that wish to offer sports wagers legally must first procure all the necessary approvals from the state. Otherwise, participation in such games constitutes a violation of German law.
Luckily, there is a reliable way to identify legal operators since all whitelisted companies are outlined in an official list on GGL’s homepage.
The GGL underscored that legal companies are also required to provide information about their license on their website’s homepage and display GGL’s inspection and permit seal.
In other news, the GGL just commissioned a wide-ranging review to measure how television and internet adverts influence gambling. The review is also set to assess the effects ads have on gambling harm rates and vulnerable consumer groups.
The project will focus on assessing whether the advertising regulations outlined in Germany’s State Treaty on Gambling in 2021 are adequate when it comes to protecting German customers from harm.
