Critics from GGL and DSWV speak out against alleged secrecy surrounding negotiations to raise gambling deposit limits.
Unveiling the Gambling Limits Saga: GGL and DSVV Respond to Allegations
🔥Get the Scoop on the Joint Gaming Authority's Denial of a Secret Agreement🔥
By Timm Schaffner
Edited by Angela Burke
Published on: 10.03.2025. Updated on: 30.04.2025.
The pitched battle against gambling limit allegations
The Joint Gaming Authority of the States (GGL) and the German Sports Betting Association (DSWV) have stood their ground against claims of a secret agreement between federal states and gambling providers to bump up deposit limits. Both organizations have branded these reports as false, maintaining that the Schufa-G query is an appropriate tool for adjusting deposit limits.
GGL: No hurry to act
Recent whispers suggest a sweeping, under-the-table agreement between the interior ministers of the federal states and online gambling providers allowed for a circumnavigation of the 1,000 euro monthly deposit limit stipulated in the State Gaming Treaty. By procuring a Schufa-G information, players could supposedly bypass providing rigorous income and asset documentation to secure higher deposit limits.
In a point-by-point clarification, the GGL opines that the Schufa-G information is, in their view, a valid instrument for evaluating a player's financial performance capacity.
The regulation aims to protect players by ensuring that only financially stable individuals qualify for increased deposit limits. The GGL ensures that the regulations have remained in compliance with the State Gaming Treaty since their introduction and that there have been no clandestine agreements.
DSWP: Setting the record straight
The DSWV pours cold water on the sensationalized notion of a secret agreement even more forcefully in a public statement. The procedure is not a secret agreement, but a courts-sanctioned settlement, as concluded in 2024 by the Administrative Court of Darmstadt and documented in official reports.
A DSWV spokesperson affirmed that the allegation of a secret agreement is baseless and that the existing regulations for increasing the deposit limit have been thoroughly vetted, confirming their effectiveness.
DSWP: Volleying against gambling addiction statistics
In the wake of the allegations surrounding the Schufa-G query, the oft-quoted figure of 1.3 million gambling addicts in Germany has been cited frequently.
The DSWV disputes this figure, asserting it to be a highly contentious statistic derived from the Gambling Atlas 2023. The association contends that this data, which has been repeatedly criticized for its methodological flaws, has been handled irresponsibly.
GGL: Learning from the past and waiting for the future
The GGL has declared its intent to consistently review procedures, including the Schufa-G query. Based on the outcomes of such reviews, the GGL may issue new guidelines for implementing procedures.
Likely, the GGL will tweak its approach should jurisprudence suggest a need for change. At present, it seems that the GGL is waiting for a final court ruling before questioning the efficacy of utilizing Schufa-G data for player risk assessment.
The Higher Administrative Court of Saxony-Anhalt having already ruled in December 2024 that the Schufa-G query was ineffective in this matter does not appear to be a sufficient catalyst for the authority based in the same federal state to reevaluate its strategy.
The fine print: Schufa-G and deposit limits
Although the specifics of the Schufa-G system as it pertains to gambling deposit limits remain unclear, it is worth noting that SCHUFA specifically refers to Germany's private-sector credit scoring system. No legislative or regulatory information about a "Schufa-G" program can be found.
The whispers of agreements: What's the truth?
Although exact details about secret agreements between German federal states and gambling operators remain elusive in the available data, ongoing scrutiny and media attention suggest ongoing examination of operator compliance and customer protection measures.
Regulatory milestones: A look behind the curtain
- Compliance and Transparency: Although direct evidence of secret agreements is absent, the recent achievement of Tipico's ISO 14001:2015 certification attests to increased operational transparency and adherence to regulatory standards in the sector.
- Media Scrutiny: A March 6, 2025 ARD "Monitor" investigation brought the issue of deposit limits to public attention, shedding light on industry practices. While no definitive evidence of collusion has been presented, the scrutiny indicates ongoing regulatory oversight.
- What is the GGL's stance on the Schufa-G information and its role in adjusting deposit limits? The GGL views the Schufa-G information as a valid instrument for evaluating a player's financial performance capacity, aiming to protect players by ensuring that only financially stable individuals qualify for increased deposit limits.
- What is the DSWV's position on the alleged secret agreement between federal states and gambling providers regarding deposit limits? The DSWV asserts that the procedure is not a secret agreement but a courts-sanctioned settlement, as concluded in 2024 by the Administrative Court of Darmstadt.
- What is the DSWV's stance on the frequent citation of 1.3 million gambling addicts in Germany? The DSWV disputes this figure, asserting it to be a highly contentious statistic derived from the Gambling Atlas 2023, which has been repeatedly criticized for its methodological flaws.
- What is the GGL's approach towards reviewing procedures, including the Schufa-G query? The GGL intends to consistently review procedures like the Schufa-G query and may issue new guidelines for implementing them based on the outcomes of these reviews.
- What was the decision of the Higher Administrative Court of Saxony-Anhalt regarding the Schufa-G query and its effectiveness in player risk assessment? In December 2024, the court ruled that the Schufa-G query was ineffective in this matter, but this ruling did not prompt the authority based in the same federal state to reevaluate its strategy.
- What can we learn from the ISO 14001:2015 certification achieved by Tipico in terms of regulatory standards in the gambling sector? The achievement of Tipico's ISO 14001:2015 certification attests to increased operational transparency and adherence to regulatory standards in the sector.
- What was the outcome of the ARD "Monitor" investigation that brought the issue of deposit limits to public attention? Although no definitive evidence of collusion has been presented, the scrutiny indicates ongoing regulatory oversight in the casino-and-gambling industry. While focusing on sports betting specifically, this oversight may also extend to the larger casino-games domain, as well as the behavior and responsibility of casino-culture participants. Furthermore, it may drive various gambling-trends, ensuring responsible gambling for all individuals involved in this field, including sports betting enthusiasts.
