The new law that came into effect in Germany on July 1, the Fourth Interstate Treaty on Gambling (GlüNeuRStv) is a hard thing for the country’s gaming industry to swallow—especially online casinos.
Matej Novota, data and complaints department lead for online Casino Guru told an audience at the CasinoBeats Summit Malta on July 15 that some of the requirements are hard to swallow: “Operators have adjusted their casino games to €1 max bet offering. The issue is for players that win money on bonuses, how much time will they need to spend wagering their bonus to earn their money—it’s a bad situation as nobody can explain that!”
Other requirements that the industry is choking on includes €1,000 per month deposit limit, 5-second rule on slot games, a panic button and a ban on auto spins.
Casino.Online COO Sebastian Erfurth added, “Everyone is trying to find out where they fit in.” He added, “For affiliates at the moment it’s very confusing, as Section-6 of the Treaty states that affiliates are not allowed to have revenue share deals generated through links.”
He predicted that most affiliates won’t survive the treaty. “Without a revenue share option, the German market will lose its neutral affiliates that inform the players on the best options – this is a situation no one asked for,” he said.
Nico Reussenzehn, country manager Germany for Rootz, was less pessimistic. “We recognize that the treaty is unpopular, but it has made every fish the same size in Germany,” adding, “Though the terms are difficult, we have to recognize that there is an opportunity as online gambling is no longer a taboo market for German consumers.”
He predicts that a “limited number” of casino operators will be able to adjust to accommodate the new model.
