German vending machine industry finds its own services unattractive

The German vending machine industry has for some time had to deal with a decline in sales. Now the board spokesman, Georg Stecker, is also warning that the black market is growing. Because of the strict legal provisions, the legal casinos cannot compete with the illegal gambling services. How can this problem be solved?

In November 2021 we had reported that in 2021 one in every third slot machine in Germany had been dismantled. Since many slot machines have been dismantled the legal market is even more under pressure. Meanwhile it seems that the Deutsche Automatenwirtschaft, which is the German vending machine industry, does not deem its own services as attractive enough. The board spokesman, Georg Stecker, is not making a secret of this and he is also complaining publicly about the alarming growth of the black market.

Legal gambling services not attractive enough

In the past the various legal provisions have led to a situation that the legal gambling services in Germany have become unattractive. The operators must in part confirm with incomprehensible or simply pointless regulations to be allowed to continue providing their services. Besides this, the lawmakers want to reduce the number of commercial slot machines drastically. The consequence: There is no fair competition anymore, since many gambling operators which operate their services illegally have an enormous competitive edge.

The board spokesman of the Deutsche Automatenwirtschaft, Georg Stecker, gave the following statement to the German Press Agency:

“Because of a partly errant regulation, when it comes to competing with illegal gambling, the services provided by the slot machine industry are not attractive and available enough to be able to fulfil the channelisation contract as claimed by the Gambling State Act.” 

Clear decline in turnover and doubtful perspective

The Deutsche Automatenwirtschaft has had to face a significant decline in turnover for several years. Between 2019 and 2021 the industry’s turnover has declined by around 20 per cent. In February of the past year we had published an article about the fact that the slot machine industry had to absorb an even higher decline in revenue in 2021. The coming months and years will also be far from easy for the slot machine industry in Germany. After the Corona pandemic, the industry must now struggle with the regulations at the Federal State level which are becoming stricter and also contend with the general intentions of the politicians to do away with stationary venues.

The example of the forum of the slot machine firms shows that the financial situation of the stationary games of chance industry in Germany is far from good. In September 2022 we had reported about its liquidation because of financial difficulties.

Conclusion

Of course, it is not an acceptable situation that illegal providers have such a large competitive advantage on legal providers. Those who introduce strict measures to protect the players must also see to it that they also clamp down on illegal gambling with the same rigour. The Deutsche Automatenwirtschaft e.V. is thus rightly so expecting that the responsible authorities curb the black market as soon as possible. 

Image source: https://pixabay.com/de/photos/kasino-spielautomaten-aufregung-2336610/