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The end of legal limbo: Gamblers in Germany wish for online casinos with a German license despite restrictions

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Approval of planned online casino regulation could see market grow to 3.3 Bn Euros by 2024

More and more gambling is taking place online. The closure of land-based gambling businesses due to coronavirus is just one of many growth factors. The trend towards online gambling will be stimulated further by the licensing of casino sites in Germany. According to a recent study, 62% of German online gamblers are willing to use the websites of operators licensed in Germany. The German online casino market forecast made by Goldmedia therefore predicts an increase in gross gambling yields from 2.2 Bn Euros (2019) to 3.3 Bn Euros in 2024.

These are the results of the study ‘Gambling Market in Germany 2020’, conducted by the advisory and research group Goldmedia (www.goldmedia.com) and published with the support from industry platform CasinoOnline.de (www.casinoonline.de). The report presents the recent market developments of the lottery, betting, casino and slot machine sectors up to the year 2019, as well as a market forecast until 2024. The main emphasis within the study is put on online casinos.

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New ‘Interstate Treaty on Gambling’ takes online casinos out of the grey area

Online casino operators in Germany who are licensed in another EU country are currently stuck in a legal grey area. As a consequence, player protection can’t always be guaranteed, and the country is losing out on considerable amounts of potential taxes. In March 2020, the German states have therefore agreed to open the market under strict rules for player protection. At the basis of this lies the new Interstate Treaty on Gambling (GlüNeuRegStV), that is currently authorised by the European Commission.

Player protection measures approved by users

Even though the New Interstate Treaty on Gambling envisages stricter player protection measures, than currently are legally requested for online casinos already on the market, the majority of online casino users are happy to embrace further player protection measures: An empiric study of around 400 online casino players has shown that between 56% and 81% approve of the envisaged player protection measures, which include a monthly deposit limit, a fixed maximum stake and technology for early detection of players at risk.

Players would prefer an online casino with a German licence

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User surveys, as well as a market simulation, have shown the level of preference of operators licensed in Germany to German players. If given the choice, the vast majority of players (62%) would choose an operator licensed in Germany, despite the regulatory restrictions described in the Interstate Treaty on Gambling. More than a third (38%) would keep playing on websites of operators licensed in another EU country. The decisive factors for those players are, among others, that there are no deposit limits or maximum stakes per game.

Online casinos with a German licence will generate 1.9 Bn Euros by 2024

The prognosis about the liberalised market has been made based on expert assessments and on the preferences listed by players. If the new Interstate Treaty on Gambling comes into force as planned in 2021, the gross gambling yield from operators licensed in Germany could reach 1.9 Bn Euros. The gross gambling yields from operators licensed in an EU country would therefore be halved to 1.2 Bn Euros during the same time period.

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SYNOT Games teams up with win2day to revolutionize Austria’s iGaming scene

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SYNOT Games, a leading iGaming provider, has partnered with win2day, taking a major step in its Austrian market growth strategy.

The collaboration marks its debut with the launch of Resin Joker, a fan-favorite slot that combines the simplicity of a classic gaming experience with a fresh, modern twist. With its smooth gameplay, vibrant audio-visuals, and universal appeal, Respin Joker has become a standout title for players seeking both entertainment and nostalgia.

As this partnership progresses, players can look forward to a steady rollout of additional games from SYNOT Games’ extensive portfolio, further enriching win2day’s already robust catalog. This collaboration is designed to offer Austrian players a premium gaming experience, with a diverse selection of games that blend cutting-edge innovation and top-tier quality.

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Georg Wawer, Managing Director of win2day, said: „As the sole licensed operator in Austria, our goal is to host all leading iGaming providers on our platform. Synot, being a major player on the international stage, makes us proud to feature their content. We regard SYNOT Games as a skilled and trustworthy partner for win2day, and we are confident that this collaboration will yield great success.

Martina Krajčí, CCO at SYNOT Games, commented: “We are excited to partner with win2day and bring our games to Austrian players. At SYNOT Games, our focus has always been on providing quality entertainment, and this partnership highlights our commitment to delivering an outstanding gaming experience.”

The post SYNOT Games teams up with win2day to revolutionize Austria’s iGaming scene appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.

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25 years of ZEAL: A quarter century of online lottery in Germany

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  • From living room start-up to online market leader
  • Ambitious growth targets and innovative product ideas

ZEAL Network SE, the market leader for online lotteries in Germany, is celebrating its 25th anniversary. Founded in 1999 as Tipp24, the company was one of the first on the German market to bring lotteries to the internet. Since then, ZEAL has had a lasting impact on the German online lottery business. 

“We are very proud of a quarter century of ZEAL,” says Helmut Becker, CEO of ZEAL. “What began 25 years ago as a two-man start-up in Hamburg has now developed into a group of companies with more than 250 employees. We are more successful than ever in our core business of lottery brokerage and are continuously expanding our market share and our business model. In doing so, we are staying true to our motto: we define the future of lottery.”

From start-up to international group

ZEAL was founded as Tipp24 in Hamburg in 1999. The company was one of the first providers to enable participation in state lotteries in Germany via the Internet – with great success. The IPO followed in 2005. This was followed by the temporary relocation of the company headquarters to London, the change of name to ZEAL Network SE and the development of new business abroad. In 2019, the company returned to Hamburg and took over LOTTO24 AG. This made ZEAL the largest lottery broker in Germany. Today, more than 1.3 million customers play with ZEAL’s brands every month.

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“As one of the founders, I am particularly happy about ZEAL’s success story,” says Jens Schumann, co-founder of ZEAL 25 years ago and now a member of the Supervisory Board. “When we founded the company, we printed out the lottery tickets that our customers played online and handed them in at the kiosk around the corner. A lot has happened since then. Today, ZEAL is one of Germany’s leading e-commerce companies. It gives me great pleasure to have been so closely involved in its development to date.”

Continuing to grow in the core business, developing new business areas

Today, ZEAL is the market leader for online lotteries in Germany. The brokerage of participation in state and charity lotteries remains the company’s core business, which it intends to expand in the future. In addition, ZEAL is continuously developing its portfolio: in the summer, for example, the company launched the first raffle of an existing property in Germany with Traumhausverlosung (English name: Dream House Raffle). ZEAL also appeals to younger target groups in particular with the freiheit+ charity lottery. Last year, ZEAL also launched an online games offering, which has been continuously expanded since then. ZEAL also operates the online presence of the ONCE charity lottery in Spain, a public organization for the blind, and invests in industry-specific start-ups via its ventures department ZEAL Ventures.

The post 25 years of ZEAL: A quarter century of online lottery in Germany appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.

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NOVOMATIC once again honored with the “Business Superbrands Austria Award”

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The world’s largest independent brand evaluation organization, Business Superbrands Brand Council, has once again recognized NOVOMATIC as one of Austria’s strongest brands for the year 2024/2025.

The prestigious award is given to brands that have built up an outstanding image in their market segment and clearly stand out from their competitors. After a pre-selection by the credit rating service provider Bisnode D&B, an independent panel of experts decides on the awarding of the title. NOVOMATIC’s exceptional brand strength and innovative power were convincing and underlined our success on both the domestic and international markets.

Stefan Krenn, Executive Board Member of NOVOMATIC AG, accepted the award from András Wiszkidenszky, Superbrands Regional Director, and emphasized: “This award underlines our strong market position and the continuous pursuit of innovation and excellence in the international gaming industry. At the same time, it is a sign of appreciation for the extraordinary commitment of our employees, who contribute to the success of the NOVOMATIC brand every day.”

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András Wiszkidenszky added: “The Superbrand award underlines the economic appeal of the NOVOMATIC brand. Congratulations on the outstanding brand management and strong positioning that have made NOVOMATIC one of the strongest brands in Austria.”

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