The Deutscher Sportwettenverband (DSWV), Germany’s sports betting providers’ association, has rejected calls from a state minister to ban gambling advertising.
Bremen’s Interior Minister Ulrich Mäurer wished to discuss the issue at the conference for the state’s interior ministers in December. He believed that it would help with gambling addictions and the protection of minors from gambling.
Germany has recently rolled out changes to legislation regarding safe and regulated sports and iGaming betting. The treaty in July outlined many of the changes that were made, and some of these included betting advertisements.
Many of Germany’s leading sports teams are sponsored by betting companies. Critics like Mäurer are concerned about the impact that could be felt by younger people who are exposed to gambling brands through these advertisements.
DSWV President, Mathias Dahms, had a very different reaction. He emphatically rejected the notion, saying: “Since there are still many illegal operators active on the German market, advertising for licensed providers is vital. How else can citizens differentiate between safe and unsafe offers?
“The state must not give the impression that it is measuring with double standards and that it wants to give preference to its own gambling products. After all, all holders of a German gaming licence – both state-owned and private – have been extensively checked by the authorities for their reliability and performance.
“This also applies in particular to their advertising strategies. Advertising for illegal providers is prohibited by law, enforcement agencies should focus on enforcing this.”
Affiliates with campaigns targeted to Germans should ensure that their marketing materials are fully in line with the regulations set out by the states. They should also keep an eye out for changes to gambling advertisement guidelines that might be affected by such discussions.
