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Germany – Provincial Government passes bill on new Lower Saxony Gambling Act to the Landtag

By - 24 October 2019

The Lower Saxony state government has forwarded a bill to the state parliament to provide better protection against gambling addiction and reschedule the selection process for a large number of gambling halls in Lower Saxony.

The bill was discussed with the various associations and institutions concerned.

Minister of Economics Bernd Althusmann said: “The bill that we sent to Parliament today has been a good compromise. We want to increase the protection of the players while ensuring legal certainty. Arcade operators and communities should receive planning security.”

The focus of the bill is the mandatory participation of arcade operators in a nationwide banned file. If the Niedersächsische Landtag approves the law, each arcade operator would be obliged to check on entry of a person, whether this is registered in the banned file. If this is the case, this person is to be denied access to the arcade.

Mr. Althusmann added: “A nationwide and overlapping blocking system would make a significant contribution to the effectiveness of player protection. As gaming halls are currently not yet included in the nationwide banning system under the State Treaty on Gambling, we want to set a decisive signal in provincial law with such a requirement.”

The State Treaty on Gaming provides for a minimum distance between gambling halls since 1 July 2012. In addition, several arcades under one roof, so-called multiple complexes, are prohibited. Lower Saxony must decide which arcades in such a competitive environment may continue to exist and which can not. This lottery has triggered fierce criticism from the gambling industry. The Lower Saxony Administrative Court has finally prohibited this practice. The Gambling Bill contains a revision of the selection procedure in competitive situations. Earlier selection decisions that have been made by lot are to be corrected.

In the future it will be decided on the basis of comprehensible criteria which gambling halls may continue to be operated.

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