German Sports Betting Association slams calls for ad ban

The German Sports Betting Association (DSWV) has emphatically countered calls by the Bremen senator for the interior to ban sports betting advertising in Germany. Ulrich Mäurer has put forward the proposal and is expected to raise it formally at the Standing Conference of Interior Ministers and Senators of the States in December. Mäurer believes a blanket ban on sports betting advertising would aid in preventing gambling-related harm and limit the exposure of gambling to children. He has also criticised football clubs for partnering with betting brands. DSWV president, Mathias Dahms, has rejected the proposal pointing at the ability for advertising to provide authentication for customers. Dahms said: “Since there are still many illegal providers active on the German market, the possibility of advertising for permitted providers is of central importance. How else should citizens differentiate between safe and unsafe offers?” “Advertising for illegal providers is prohibited by law. Enforcement agencies should focus on enforcing this,” he added. In July, Germany legalised online casino betting having only previously allowed sports wagering. This came with the launch of the State Treaty on Gambling that was ratified in March 2020 and came into play in July 2021. The treaty introduced a monthly deposit limit of €1,000 for all customers as well as a maximum spin on all games of €1. At the time, the DSWV stated that these restrictions, as well as a tax rate of 5.3% on all online slot and poker stakes, “created unattractive framework conditions” for licensed operators. The DSWV is an umbrella of leading German and European sports betting providers within Germany.