The German states have agreed on a new online gambling treaty

The federal states of Germany have reached an initial agreement regarding the establishment of a new draft interstate treaty on the regulation of all forms of online gambling. The treaty is expected to introduce a countrywide licensing model which will allow online poker and virtual slots, since the general ban on online casinos will be lifted.

The states will be actually allowed to establish their own rules when it comes to online casino games, however the monopoly structure of the German state lottery will remain intact. Furthermore, the states are eager to create a regulatory body that will be responsible for the issuance of licenses, the organisation of games of chance and the enforcement of gambling laws.

If the new treaty is agreed at the Minister-Presidents meeting on March 5, 2020, it will come into force on July 1, 2021 and it will replace the existing one that was established back in 2012.

It is also worth noting though that, Maarten Haijer, the General Secretary of the European Gaming and Betting Association (EGBA), expressed his concern regarding some specific propositions cited in the new draft treaty.

More specifically, the treaty suggests serious live betting restrictions; namely, bettors will be only allowed to place their bets on the final result and on the next goalscorer. Moreover, if they have multiple betting accounts, they will not be able to access them simultaneously.

Furthermore, there are some important advertising restrictions proposed; such as the prohibition of all gambling-related advertisements on TV between 6 a.m. and 11 p.m..

Therefore, the EGBA insists that it would be prudent for the authorities in Germany to reconsider the aforementioned measures, before deciding that this is the final form of the treaty.