Germany’s regulator, Gemeinsame Glücksspielbehörde der Länder (GGL), has discussed gambling regulation issues with representatives from the DACHL region. Officials from Austria, Switzerland, and Liechtenstein gathered on 8–9 October for their annual conference to exchange experience and best practices in gambling legislation.

Germany is currently conducting an evaluation of its State Treaty on Gambling, which is expected to conclude at the end of next year.

The main focus of the meeting was on gambling legislation. Participants discussed various criminal law provisions related to gambling regulation. Another item on the agenda was loot boxes – a game mechanic often criticised for being used in video games primarily targeted at children.

The issue of problem gambling was also raised, with regulators analysing ways to enhance cooperation in light of the newly introduced unified European markers of gambling harm, developed by the European Committee for Standardisation (CEN).

One of the most discussed topics was sports betting and player protection across the DACHL region. In particular, delegates noted a high number of illegal betting cases in amateur sports, including in Germany.

Delegates agreed that strengthening player identity verification could be a necessary step forward. However, the German example shows that such measures could also have unintended negative effects.

As part of its current reforms, the GGL plans to introduce income verification for players covering the past 12 months. However, industry associations have opposed the measure, arguing that the black market will be the main beneficiary.

The situation with unlicensed operators in Germany remains problematic – according to the regulator, only 35% of players currently use licensed websites, making this one of the lowest channelisation rates in Europe.

For comparison, Sweden’s channelisation rate ranges between 80% and 92%, depending on the product, yet the country still struggles to reach its target of 90% across all forms of gambling – an issue that has already drawn political attention.

To improve the situation, the GGL is considering a new approach to IP blocking, following the example of Switzerland, which enforces stricter measures against unlicensed operators.

Ronald Benter, CEO of GGL, commented: “Through close cooperation with European regulatory authorities, we can benefit in all areas of activity – from combating illegal gambling and supervising licensed providers to preventing gambling addiction. At the same time, we contribute our experience and successful measures to the European exchange.”

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