Oddset Sportwetten, a German online and retail sports betting operator, has become a part of the Deutscher Sportwettenverband (DSWV), the German sports betting association. The former party joined the association with immediate effect on December 1 and will work with like-minded companies to promote legal and responsible gambling across the country.

As a member of the DSWV, Oddset will be responsible for protecting players and joining the war on illegal marketing – two very hot topics in Germany at the moment. For reference, the country continues to have serious problems with black market operators and is working hard to channel players toward the legal alternative.

By joining the association, Oddset will become a part of a family that includes companies such as Bet365, Betway, bwin and Tipico, among others. The DSWV is firmly committed to protecting the sector and ensuring its integrity while promoting legal betting across the country.

The DSWV was founded in 2014 to represent the sports betting industry and mediate between the betting sector, the government and the public.

Germany Struggles with the Black Market

Germany continues to struggle with unlicensed operators which continue to occupy a large market share. According to a recent study, a whopping 50% of the gambling in Germany occurs on unlicensed sites.

Commissioned by the German iGaming association (DOCV) and the DSWV, and conducted conducted by economist Gunther Schnabl from the University of Leipzig, the survey raised concerns about the efficacy of Germany’s online gambling regulations.

In addition, a recent Gambling Atlas report revealed that 7.7% of German adults experience gambling-related problems that cause them social and financial stress. In addition, the report showed that 3.3 million Germans are at risk of gambling addiction.

In the meantime, the gambling powerhouse Entain just commented on the results of the former study, critiquing the inefficiency of Germany’s iGaming regulations.

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German gamblers take great pride in their local gaming establishments much like some online gamblers have a favorite “home” website, but much more so. The operators and local officials do too, and they aren’t shy about showing that devotion and affection for the venues. More than brand loyalty, the connection is personal.

The spa town of Bad Neuenahr-Ahrweiler is no exception to that rule as can be seen when looking at the recent opening of Spielbank Bad Neuenahr in a new location after a major disaster took the beloved local and regional gambling hall away.

The Night the House Edge was Not Enough

200 people died in Germany and Belgium 2 years ago in a historic flood. Damage to the local casino was so severe, and the insurance coverage to re-open in the same location would only provide about half of what it had for the prior calamity, so officials decided to never rebuild the 7-decades-old casino in the same location.

As described by Weather.com, the water came overnight on July 14-15, 2021. It funneled through sometimes narrow and steep sections, taking with it homes, bridges and roads and leaving behind a mud-covered path of destruction. Some 3,000 of 4,200 buildings along the River Ahr were damaged.

The casino was situated directly on the river Arh.

Instead, they chose to convert a nearby historic train station with neo-gothic architecture into a new casino.

After a soft opening a little over three weeks ago that allowed dealers and new staff to become accustomed to their new digs, Spielbank Bad Neuenahr held an official grand opening for the small but competent gambling spot on July 20, 2023.

During the official opening ceremonies, Michael Seegert, Managing Partner of Spielbank Bad Neuenahr GmbH & Co. KG welcomed local dignitaries and officials to the new location.

In his welcome message, Seegert said: “It’s been a little more than two years since, like countless others in the Ahr Valley, suddenly nothing was the same for us overnight. Our administration building was completely destroyed and flooded and demolished shortly afterwards with all our historical files and documents from 73 years of company history.

“Our gaming facilities and the entire building services on the ground floor of the Kurhaus were smashed and the surroundings of the casino were devastated. The only pleasing aspect was that we did not have to mourn any victims due to the early closure of the casino. But the damage to property was immense and even the maximum compensation from the insurance company was not sufficient to compensate for all the damages. The question arose, so what should we do?”

Management looked at about a dozen nearby locations, and although they didn’t find one with everything they wanted or needed, the team settled for a well-situated location with less space – which meant the number of games would have to be reduced, but all other qualities could be maintained and the historic casino could continue to offer the same level of top-tier service to local gamblers and others nearby who were die-hard fans.

Familiar Location for Most Customers

The train and bus station was already a well-known hub for travelers to the area with 5-star hotels, so footfall was expected to remain strong. This proved to be true as customer traffic from all around began right away during the soft opening and never really waned.

“We came to the only possible decision with the shareholders after difficult discussions that the future of the casino with these latent risks cannot lie in the Kurhaus,” Seegert added. “So, with a heavy heart, we gave up the traditional location and started looking for alternatives in Bad Neuenahr, in Ahrweiler, and in the surrounding area.”

“Since there were only very limited as-built plans from the construction period, we experienced many surprises during the renovation work, and the installation of an air conditioning system, in particular, was a huge challenge that caused us many a sleepless night,” added Seegert. “That’s why we are particularly happy and proud to have a new casino in Bad Neuenahr just two years after the destruction.”

The new location holds about 75 slot machines, two blackjack tables, and two roulettes wheels. The prior location held 16,000 square feet of casino floor featuring 150 slots with 8 table games, and two restaurants.

“All in all, I am very pleased that with the reopening of the casino, we can contribute another piece of the mosaic on the arduous path of reconstruction in Bad Neuenahr and the return to the old attractiveness of the city and the region,” Seegert added.

Seegert praised each and every participant in the arduous venture of finding and preparing a new home for the venue, commending the ‘highest level of commitment and a lot of heart and soul,” shown by employees, project managers, architects, and engineers, city administrators and others.,

Source: Spielbank Bad Neuenahr holds official grand opening, G3 Newswire, July 25, 2023

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Germany continues to be plagued by illegal gambling operators, resulting in lower revenues from the licensed gaming verticals. This is a serious problem that the European country has been struggling for a while with.

According to the German Sports Betting Association (Deutsche Sportwettenverband/DSWV), legal sports betting declined in 2022 in spite of the FIFA World Cup which bolstered operators’ revenues in other markets. On the contrary, German companies saw revenues plummet, causing serious concerns for the future of legal gambling in the country.

German sportsbooks earned $8.7 billion (converted from Euro, current rates) in 2022, which represents a 13% year-on-year decline from the $10 billion it earned the prior year. State revenues from sports betting tax also declined correspondingly to around $460 million.

Tight Regulations Are to Blame, the DSWV Says

The DSWV attributed the suboptimal results to Germany being knocked out of the World Cup in the early stages and the repressive market regulations. In its efforts to protect customers from gambling harm, Germany has created a rule set that makes it hard for operators to remain sustainable.

In addition, the regulations have channeled some players toward the black market. According to the DSWV, the regulations are not helping people save money. Instead, people are gambling the same amounts elsewhere. This is confirmed by recent studies that show a steep 65% rise in illegal gambling activity.

Another problem is that the legal German market is not known for its diverse products. While it offers quite a few sports betting sites, most of them offer a limited types of markets. In addition, customers do not have much choice when it comes to slots, poker and online casino games either.

Mathias Dahms, president of the DSWV, said:

For most customers, whether a provider has a permit from Germany is secondary. They are looking for the most comprehensive offer, the best odds, uncomplicated payment processes and interesting bonuses. That’s where the legal offers have a hard time.

Mathias Dahms, president, DSWV

Ads Aren’t So Bad, the Union Argues

Another thing that prevents the legal market from being successful is Germany’s strict restrictions on gambling advertisements. Gambling ads are one of the hot topics of the global regulated gambling industry, as many regions are seeking to protect non-gamblers from being bombarded with gambling content.

However, restricting ads has an adverse effect when it comes to existing gamblers, who have no qualms about picking an illegal operator, despite the related risks.

The DSWV noted that many people falsely assume that more ads equal more gamblers. However, certain markets such as the UK and Denmark have proven this notion to be wrong.

Luka Andric, CEO of the DSWV, also commented on the matter. He said that advertising is useful for telling people which sites are legal and provide player protections. Andric highlighted the importance of advertising in a responsible way and preventing self-excluded people from receiving ads.

The DSWV hopes that Germany will be able to strike a balance between protecting its customers and preventing the black market from reigning supreme.

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