Legislation
Germany – German Sports Betting Association annoyed by delay to sports betting permits
By Phil - 7 April 2020
The Darmstadt Administrative Court has suspended the nationwide sports betting permit procedure until further notice as of April 1, 2020. A betting provider from Austria, who is not a DSWV member, had successfully asserted that the procedure was not transparent and non-discriminatory.
The German Sports Betting Association (DSWV) President Mathias Dahms said: “The decision of the court is a big blow to our members. Even though we were promised concessions by the legislator back in 2012, an early approval, which should have been made possible by the State Treaty on Gaming, which has been in effect since the beginning of the year, is now once again in the stars. It is particularly annoying that there could have been permits for a long time: The gaming college has not been able to reach an agreement for weeks, even though decisions that were ready for decision were on the table. This body of 16 competent officials from the state ministries is responsible for the final release of the permits. ”
According to Mr. Dahms, the avoidable situation that has now arisen is unsatisfactory for all parties. “Sports betting providers in Germany are once again denied access to a regulated market and thus legal certainty,” he said. “The applicants have once again invested a lot of effort and energy into the process and prepared for the regulated market. I also feel sorry for the employees in the Hessian Ministry of the Interior and the Darmstadt Regional Council, who have been very committed in the past few months to finally make the approval process a success. We hope that the authorities can continue to issue permits quickly.”
Caption: Mathias Dahms
