In mid-December, the German interior ministers agreed that illegal gambling offers from foreign providers should be consistently prosecuted and severely punished. In this context, there was also a proposal to set up a special public prosecutor's office to deal with such illegal gambling offers. But how sensible is such a proposal?
Christian_1994
At the beginning of the month, the state government of Schleswig-Holstein announced its intention to sell a total of four state casinos. These are said to be the locations in Kiel, Lübeck, Flensburg and Schenefeld. But what are the reasons for Schleswig-Holstein wanting to part with its casinos?
Christian_1994
At a recent congress in Berlin, the GGL spoke about (new) measures to advance the fight against the black market in Germany. One of the topics discussed was Section 284 of the German Criminal Code (StGB), which criminalizes illegal gambling. If the authorities have their way, this should be clearly extended to online providers based abroad as quickly as possible. In fact, such an amendment could have considerable consequences for casinos or sports betting platforms and their users!
Chris_W
Just before Christmas 2024, two Paderborn residents who allegedly amassed a small fortune with the help of illegal slot machines made headlines. The two were caught during a raid. Several gaming machines, as well as luxury cars, Rolex watches and other valuables, were among the items seized. The investigation is ongoing. You would think that this would put an end to the scam. But far from it: the perpetrators have now been caught again brokering illegal games of chance. This time the handcuffs clicked.
Chris_W
Several German online casinos were recently affected by a hacker attack. It is alleged that sensitive customer data was temporarily accessible to third parties. The three online gambling providers, which are owned by Merkur AG, have already informed their players of the incidents by email. But what is the best way for those affected to react and who is behind this?
Christian_1994
Since the new State Treaty on Gambling came into force, a number of player protection regulations have applied in German online casinos. These include a ban on autoplay. Of course, it can be questioned whether such a ban is suitable for protecting users from problematic gaming behavior. But what options do players have to deal with the current situation and can the autoplay ban be overridden with an autoclicker?
Christian_1994
A party to remember needs more than streamers, party hats and karaoke competitions. Even photo boxes, fire breathers and candy bars are no longer real highlights. How do you create an atmosphere that really captivates guests? A mobile casino could be the answer. Poker, roulette and co. bring thrills and glamor to your own event. But what's the best way to go about bringing the casino "home"? We have taken a closer look.
Chris_W
In the CrazyBuzzer online casino, every new customer can secure a free starting credit immediately after registration. To be more precise, CrazyBuzzer offers a 5 euro bonus with no depositor required. But how can this promising promotion be activated quickly and easily and how great is the added value in practice?
Christian_1994
Free Spins Monday has become part of JackpotPiraten's DNA. Just in time for the start of the week, the licensed online casino always grants five free spins without a depositor. The free spins are always valid for a virtual slot game that was previously selected by the community. But is JackpotPiraten Free Spins Monday also worthwhile in practice and what other promotions await gamblers on the other days of the week?
Christian_1994
According to the State Treaty on Gambling of 2021, online table games are generally permitted in Germany. However, regulation is not nationwide, as is the case with virtual machines, but is a matter for the federal states. This inconsistent solution has meant that roulette, blackjack and the like cannot be played online in many places to this day (at least not legally). Baden-Württemberg has recently become one of the few regions to approve such casino games. However, only from a state provider and, of course, only within the state borders.
Chris_W
Since the end of February, the German online casinos JackpotPiraten and BingBong have finally been offering the option of taking out various premium memberships. Subscription models are available from 5.99 euros per month plus one-off costs from 1.99 euros. But what added value does the JackpotPiraten subscription offer in practice? This much can already be revealed: In the meantime, I have played my way up from 1 euro to over 430 euros.
Christian_1994
The Gambling Survey is considered the most important data collection on gambling participation in Germany. The Institute for Interdisciplinary Addiction and Drug Research (ISD) and the Gambling Research Unit at the University of Bremen have been in charge since 2021. Compared to the last survey conducted by the previously responsible Federal Center for Health Education (BZgA), the figures shot up by an astonishing 550 percent practically overnight! Many people then asked themselves: Can this be right? Apparently not, as a new Forsa study now suggests. The result should give those responsible for the gambling survey a real stomach ache.
Chris_W
In the Netherlands, there is market freedom for online gambling, while land-based casinos are subject to a state monopoly. However, this could soon be over, as Teun Struycken, Minister for Legal Protection, recently stated that the government is working on updating the current regulations and plans to submit them to the House of Representatives in March 2025. Lifting the casino monopoly would be a big deal.
Chris_W
As part of the know-your-customer (KYC) process, gambling providers verify the identity and age of players. For this purpose, users usually have to present a valid ID document and, depending on the verification option, take a selfie or provide the provider with other personal documents. But which casino verification options have now become established in Germany?
Christian_1994
The JackpotPiraten casino now offers its visitors 687 online slots and allows depositors to play for as little as one euro. Deutsche Gesellschaft für Glücksspiel mbH (DGGS) from Berlin is responsible for the operation. I started another self-experiment and deliberately deposited just 10 euros to see if you can have fun with a small budget and maybe even win something. So how did the day at JackpotPiraten go?
Christian_1994