What is always decisive for successful gambling? Of course - luck! Despite all the strategies, tricks and gimmicks, a good dose of luck is often the most important factor in winning at slots, sports betting, lotteries, etc. It doesn't work without luck - and luck often comes from being lucky. Or does it? What is the state of luck in Germany? The SKL Glücksatlas answers this question year after year. The latest edition actually shows a clear positive trend. Germans are apparently returning to the happiness levels of the 2010s before the pandemic.
North Rhine-Westphalia has paid Westdeutsche Spielbanken GmbH & Co. KG (WestSpiel) state aid totalling more than 64 million euros in recent years. The EU Commission has now come to the conclusion that the payments made by the state to the then state-owned gambling operator were illegal. NRW must now reclaim the aid money from WestSpiel.
This year's ‘Gaming in Germany’ conference took place in Berlin in November. Every year, members of the gaming industry come together for this event to discuss the German market. Problematic topics are always up for debate. The 2024 edition was apparently particularly controversial. As can be read in the international trade press, the two major German industry associations clearly criticised the development or non-development of the local iGaming landscape: according to them, illegal offers are on the rise.
Shortly before Christmas, the Paderborn police and public prosecutor's office announced an important blow against illegal gambling in the region. Two men were arrested for allegedly operating several slot machines without authorization. The investigators seized assets worth several million euros. Explosive: the perpetrators were already known for similar offenses.
Bonus offers from online casinos are often tempting and can actually be worthwhile. For many players, the question arises as to how best to approach such deals in order to maximise their chances of winning. Are there any specific strategies? In fact, yes - you can even calculate quite easily whether a promotion suits your own gaming habits or not.
In a recent press release, the Joint Gambling Authority of the German federal states (GGL) warns that the Christmas holidays in particular can have an impact on gambling behavior. But what are the reasons why players gamble more often and more excessively at Christmas than in everyday life?
At the end of the day, professional poker is about a whole lot of cash. So it's no wonder that the industry keeps detailed statistics on the successes and winnings of its best players. In this context, there was an interesting milestone from a German perspective at the beginning of November: TheHendonMob.com announced that Fedor Holz from Saarland had cracked the 40 million mark after a good third place in the ‘Triton Poker Super High Roller Series Monte Carlo’. There are only a few professionals in this class.
An interesting question that many a player is sure to have asked themselves is whether there are more ATMs or slot machines in Germany. The fact is that the number of both machines has decreased noticeably in recent years. But how many of which machines are there currently in Germany?
Year after year, many players ask themselves whether casinos and gambling halls are open at Christmas. Just a few days ago, the German Gambling Authority pointed out that the Christmas holidays can have an impact on gambling behavior. We have researched the current casino opening times for Christmas 2024 and present them in today's article.
Many things on the Internet are not what they seem. One buzzword that comes up again and again in this context is "fake": there are fake online stores of all categories, fake news about current events, fake emails from apparently well-known financial service providers and even fake profiles on social media that imitate gambling companies. The latter are apparently becoming more and more of a problem for the industry, but are also a real danger for players. JackpotPiraten and BingBong are currently issuing extensive reports warning of such machinations.
Casino streams are not prohibited per se in Germany. However, streamers must meet numerous requirements to ensure that their stream is not legally problematic. As licensed online casinos such as BingBong also offer a similar service with the Slot Academy, the question now arises as to whether the Slot Academy is legal?
Darts has become absolutely mainstream in Germany too: According to the latest statistical surveys, the number of members in Germany's largest darts association alone has increased by more than 100 percent since 2014 - not to mention the hundreds of thousands who regularly watch the major tournaments on TV or stream. The most important event of the year just began last Sunday, December 15. Let's take a look at the favorites and insider tips for sports betting. Incidentally, there are more Germans than ever before.
Bulgaria has had a strict ban on gambling advertising for some time now. Since then, the operators of online casinos have been complaining about a significant drop in revenue. But can a strict ban on gambling advertising alone be responsible for the fact that the revenue of an entire industry is significantly lower?
Gambling often involves extremely tempting sums of money. Crooks are always thinking of ways to trick the system in order to boost the luck factor. In one particularly brazen case that just happened in Italy, fraudsters tried to collect a whopping 10 million euros with a fake scratch card. However, their attempt was so clumsy that it didn't take long for them to be exposed.
Gambling sponsorship is a perennial topic of controversy across Europe. Nevertheless, comparatively little happens - and the relevant regulations often appear to be inadequate or have loopholes. In the Netherlands, where strict advertising guidelines apply anyway, a meticulous approach by the local gambling authority now stands out. Several providers were warned for violating the applicable sponsorship regulations.
Chris_W
Christian_1994