Germany's Federal Gambling Authority, Glücksspielbehörde (GGL), has announced that it will conclude a comprehensive evaluation of the German gambling market by 2026. This analysis follows the implementation of the Fourth Interstate Treaty on Gambling GlüNeuRStv (GlüStV) in 2021, which introduced a new regulatory framework for online gambling.
A central aspect of this evaluation is the effect of gambling advertisements on the public, particularly those shown online and on television. The GGL has contracted media research group Eye Square GmbH to conduct an in-depth study on this issue, coordinated with all 16 German federal states. This study aims to determine the influence of individual advertisements, such as TV commercials and social media ads, and the inclusion of customer bonuses and discounts on vulnerable groups.
The GGL expects the results to provide insights into whether the provisions of GlüStV 2021 are effective or need improvements. The goal is to ensure that legal gambling offers attract players without exerting a critical incentive on individuals who are not yet interested in gambling or are vulnerable.
To achieve this, the GGL has subcontracted various tasks, including empirical investigation, advertising impact analysis, structured literature analysis, and content analysis of common commercials. An independent panel of experts, consisting of Prof. Dr. Markus Heinker and Prof. Christian Krebs LL.M., has been assigned to cover the entire breadth of the scientific discourse.
Additionally, a separate evaluation of the GlüStV regime and player protection is being conducted by the Institute of Public Health at the University of Bremen. This follows a prior study by the university in March 2023, which found that the rate of gambling disorders among those aged 18 to 70 has remained unchanged at 2.4% since 2021.
Economist Günther Schnabl of the University of Leipzig conducted a subsequent study using data from 25,000 German consumers, revealing that almost half were engaging in illegal gambling offerings. His research showed that only 50.7% of German gamblers were using licensed providers as of March 2023, with a significant influx of users towards unlicensed EU (28.9%) and offshore (19.9%) operators since January 2019.
From the start, the GlüStV 2021 regime has faced scrutiny over data and research conflicts. The German Sports Betting Association Deutscher Sportwettenverband (DSWV) has been a vocal critic, demanding immediate reforms since the regime's application.
The GGL has been working closely with relevant stakeholders and federal states to address all concerns surrounding GlüStV. The regulator aims to introduce a new advertising code for gambling, which will be reconciled by individual German state authorities and signed into federal law.
"The GGL will exchange close information with the federal states on the partial reports and further assessments of the panel of experts," the regulator added. The ultimate goal is to ensure a safer and more regulated gambling environment in Germany by addressing the impact of gambling advertisements and refining the existing framework.
Source:
GGL places advertising impacts at the frontline of 2026 gambling study, sbcnews.co.uk, June 11, 2024.