ES
IT
PT
DE
NL
DSbV warns Germany could go the same way as Sweden
Kerstin Kosanke, President of the German Casino Association, has warned that EU regulations on the cash limit, which are to be introduced in the summer of 2027, along with national requirements for the Money Laundering Act, could prove the tipping point for German casinos.
She has warned that excessive bureaucracy could see Germany’s casinos go the same way as those in Sweden.
Kosanke said: “In 2025, gambling in a classic casino came to an end in Sweden. The last casino in the country has been closed. One reason: legal over-regulation to protect guests. They could no longer be run economically. Jobs are disappearing. And even worse: If you want to play, you are forced to go on the Internet – to the mostly illegal providers – without any player protection.”
“As an association, we are absolutely in favour of putting a stop to criminal machinations. But with the EU regulations on the cash limit, which are to be introduced in the summer of 2027, and the national requirements for the Money Laundering Act, it means that casinos in Germany have to meet more and more requirements that are hardly feasible in terms of personnel and technology.”
In the worst case, casinos could cease operations because they can no longer bear the costs of the measures. “That would be a bitter blow. Some guests would then migrate to the illegal gambling market. There is no player protection there, which we guarantee in our casinos,” Kosanke points out.
She would like to see a regular exchange with the responsible interior ministries of the federal states for the members of both casino associations. A kick-off meeting on the topic of AUAs has just taken place in Mainz, in which the DSbV and the Federal Association of German Casinos (BupriS) participated.
“Anyone who is serious about player protection must strengthen the legal market,” Kosanke advised. “But this will not work through even tougher and stricter regulation of our houses as long as the illegal gambling market on the Internet continues to boom and is not subject to any restrictions.”
The DSbV wants to continue to contribute to the regulations of the Interstate Treaty on Gambling and the AUAs (Interpretation and Application Notes) of the federal states, which are currently being revised. The implementation of the cash ceiling, which will also apply as EU law in Germany from July 2027, will also be discussed constructively.
