Industry News
How do Germany and the Netherlands’ new gaming laws compare to other European countries?
Some European countries are ahead of others when it comes to gaming legislation. As Germany and the Netherlands prepare to introduce new gaming laws in 2021, here is a look at how their laws compare to other prominent European countries.
Germany’s New Gaming Legislation
As of 1st July 2021, sports betting, online poker, and online casino games will become legal in Germany. The states of Nordrhein-Westfalen and Berlin are currently finalising the legislation, which needs to be approved by all local state parliaments.
While that is good news for Germany’s online gaming industry, there will be significant restrictions placed on those gaming activities. For sports betting, bettors will only be able to wager on the final result or the next scorer of a game.
There are some fantastic online casinos, such as Casumo.com, that provide table games and slots. But under the new laws in Germany, online slot games will be subject to a limit of €1 per spin, and they must be offered separately to table games. Also, before the laws come into effect, states in Germany will have the option to veto table games at online casinos.
The Netherlands’ New Gaming Legislation
At the 2019 Gaming in Holland Conference, the chairman of the Netherlands’ gambling regulator Kansspelautoriteit, said a regulated online gambling market in the country would hopefully begin on 1st January 2021.
After many years of confusion and uncertainty in the Netherlands’ gaming sector, the new legislation will allow online casino operators to promote and provide real money games to Dutch people legally. Although online casinos are already available in the country, the majority are not specifically designed for a Dutch audience, which means they do not offer features like a Dutch language option.
The new regulations will enable online casinos with a valid Dutch audience to create their products for the local market. According to officials of the Dutch Gaming Authority, more than 100 candidates are expected to submit applications to obtain licenses.
How do Germany and the Netherlands’ new laws compare to the UK?
The Gambling Commission regulates the UK’s gambling laws under the Gambling Act of 2005. Brits can legally wager on a wide variety of games and sports. Online and traditional casino games are legal, as is sports betting, lotteries, gaming machines, and bingo.
There are no restrictions for betting limits and types of sports bets, such as with the new German legislation. And all counties operate under the same central governmental laws. And unlike the Netherlands’ current rules, there are lots of online casinos specifically designed for a British audience. The primary gaming restrictions in the UK refer to age. Other than lotteries and football pools, where the minimum legal age to partake is 16, other gambling activities in the country have a minimum legal age of 18. In Germany and Holland, you generally have to be 18 to gamble legally.
How do Germany and the Netherlands’ new laws compare to Sweden?
Whether it is brick-and-mortar businesses or online gaming platforms, all gambling in Sweden is controlled by Svenska Spel. The company operates the only legal and licensed gaming site in the country. However, bettors are under no obligation to limit themselves to that single option. It is not a criminal offence to gamble online, regardless of the site that Swedes are using. The minimum age for legal gambling in Sweden, for every type of gambling activity, is 18.
How do Germany and the Netherlands’ new laws compare to Denmark?
Like Sweden, the minimum age to gamble in Denmark is 18. Online and offline sports betting, bingo, lotteries, and online and offline casino games, are all legal in Denmark. The major gambling activities in Denmark are under the control of the largely-state-owned firm Danske Spil, which has operated in Denmark since 1948.
As of this year, licensed operators and other stakeholders in the gaming industries must comply with a new responsible gambling guide published by Spillemyndigheden. If the operators do not follow the rules, they face disciplinary action. The new guidelines include the requirement for online casinos to clearly advertise on their homepages that only players over the age of 18 are permitted to access their sites. Furthermore, online casinos must provide easy access for players to take an online test to see if they are addicted to gambling.
International Game Technology PLC announced that it has achieved an environmental, social and governance (ESG) Score of 4.3 out of 5.0 from FTSE Russell, positioning IGT in the 97th percentile within the Travel and Leisure sector of FTSE Russell’s ESG Scores. This was an improvement from IGT’s previous ESG Score of 4.2 out of 5.0 in 2023, demonstrating its ongoing commitment to enhancing ESG performance.
“As a company committed to continually elevating our sustainability practices and leadership, IGT is proud to once again achieve an improved ESG score from FTSE Russell. Through our global Sustainable Play program, we execute sustainable practices and policies throughout our company and this improved score validates our ongoing efforts,” Wendy Montgomery, SVP of Marketing, Communications and Sustainability at IGT, said.
FTSE Russell’s ESG Scores and data model allows investors to understand a company’s exposure to, and management of, ESG issues in multiple dimensions. The ESG Scores are comprises an overall rating that breaks down into underlying pillar and theme exposures. Scores built on over 300 individual indicator assessments are applied to each company’s unique circumstances. The ESG Scores align with the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), all of which are reflected in FTSE Russell’s ESG framework.
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Super Group has appointed Merrick Wolman to its Board of Directors, effective from February 18, 2025.
Mr. Wolman is the Chief Executive Officer of a global finance company and has worked closely with the Super Group executive team for over two decades.
Neal Menashe, Chief Executive Officer of Super Group, said: “We are very pleased to welcome Merrick to the board. His deep understanding of the gaming industry, alongside his wide range of experience in executive roles, will be of great value as we continue to pursue our global growth strategy and build on our successes to date.”
This appointment brings the total directors on Super Group’s board to nine, including five independent directors.
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Kindred Group has reported decline in its share of revenue from high-risk players for the fourth quarter 2024 at 2.7% (Q3 2024 3.2%). The percentage of detected customers who exhibited improved behaviour after interventions showed an improvement at 92.2% (compared to 87.3% in Q3 2024). This positive trend is mainly the result of stricter measures across key markets, improved internal processes, as well as the exit from non-locally licensed markets as part of to the acquisition by La Française des Jeux (FDJ) in October 2024. This shift reflects Kindred’s broader commitment to maintaining high regulatory standards and fostering safer gambling practices.
“It is pleasing to see the decline in high-risk revenue during the fourth quarter of last year. We know that the share fluctuates between quarters, but the long-term trend is showing a steady decline. We remain dedicated and focused on improving our systems and processes to ensure we offer our customers a safe and fun experience,” Esther Scheepers, Head of Responsible Gambling at Kindred Group, said.
“The increased focus on responsible gambling by regulators and the industry is welcomed. From our end, we see that by combining our expertise with emerging technologies, we can further enhance detection capabilities. We are currently working on our existing detection system in combination with an additional system that will enable us to integrate more robust compliance features and optimize our overall approach to safer gambling. Furthermore, we are exploring opportunities to expand our research efforts, aiming to support data-driven discussions and looking at emerging trends in consumer protection. All these aspects are important to protect the integrity of the licence model and maintain a level playing field,” Esther Scheepers added.
The post Kindred Reports Decline in Revenue from High-risk Players for Q4 2024 appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
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