Andreas Geisel, Berlin’s Minister of the Interior, has instructed the state legislature to draw up a bill that would ratify the Fourth State Treaty for Gambling – the Glücksspielneuregulierungstaatsvertrag (GlüNeuRStV).
This would have to be first passed by the state’s House of Representatives and then signed by Berlin’s mayor, Michael Müller, on order to come into full effect.
Overall, 13 of Germany’s 16 states must approve the Fourth State Treaty for it to become law throughout the country. Many states have set up legislation in the meantime that will allow operators to offer online sports betting, slots, and poker, under the specific terms laid out in the treaty until it becomes law.
Operators must use a cap of €1 per spin on slots, and they have restricted in-play wagering. In addition to this, a €1000 spending limit must be applied across all players. The only exceptions to this comes to players who have undergone enhanced due diligence checks.
Thus far, the Minister-Presidents of the 16 states have ratified the treaty, and draft legislation has also been approved.
Sports betting licences were first awarded in October, under the terms of the Third State Treaty. 15 licences have been awarded to various operators.
Should the next treaty be ratified, it will open up the more of the German market for safe and well-regulated online gambling.
