Berlin: Police Conduct Raid on Illegal Poker Venues
Law enforcement in Germany has caught on to the rise of illegal gambling in underground settings during the lockdowns. This is evident in the city of Berlin, where there have been two raids against illegal poker games in a short time period. Confiscated were thousands of euros in cash and gaming equipment, along with numerous charges filed. The DAW (German Automatic Amusement Industry Association) has issued a warning and claims this phenomenon could be harmful.
Gambling alongside weapons and drugs
It's not uncommon to find raids against illegal gambling activities during lockdowns. The city of Berlin, in particular, has been at the center of this issue, with a large number of police operations pertaining to illegal gambling in recent months. The authorities are more focused on enforcing protective measures against Covid-19, and not directly on the gambling itself.
Efforts to protect against infection doesn't seem to be a priority in basement rooms, as two raids against illegal poker games in the Kreuzberg district demonstrate. The police had received anonymous tips prior to the raids. One of these raids happened on Kochstraße. According to the police report, several drunk people were gathered in the lobby area. With a search warrant in hand, the police entered the apartment to find a variety of gambling activities happening, with none of them following hygiene or social distancing rules. Personal information was collected from the twenty individuals present, aged between 23 and 56. The apartment's owner is yet to be identified.
Alongside a poker table and gaming case, police confiscated seven illegal gaming machines, sixteen bags of cocaine, two sachets of cannabis, a blank-firing pistol, a knuckleduster, and eight thousand euros in cash used for gambling. Charges were then pressed for gambling, drug and weapon offenses, and violations of the Infection Protection Ordinance. The apartment was then sealed by police for further investigations.
A dozen gambling opportunities
The previous raid, which also took place in Kreuzberg, saw thirteen individuals participating in an illegal poker tournament. All of them were ignoring the hygiene protocols. 10,000 euros were seized, as well as two gaming machines. Security measures involved taping up the windows from the inside. Just a few days ago, 19 individuals had been arrested for illegal gambling in that same apartment. This apartment has now been sealed by police.
DAW sounds alarm over gaming shift
Due to the coronavirus crisis and the subsequent closure of gaming halls, the German Gaming Industry Association (DAW) has flagged a dangerous shift towards illegal backroom gambling. To combat the illegal market, an effective enforcement approach and an attractive legal offering are needed. That's the opinion of DAW board spokesman Georg Stecker. With the renewed lockdown, the problem's prominence is emphasized.
DAW considers health protection to be of utmost importance, according to Stecker. Increasing testing is deemed a possibility to reopen gaming halls. Presently, the gaming machine industry, with a workforce of approximately 70,000, is in a critical situation. Last year's overall income drop reached around 50%. The reserves of many firms have been depleted. Coronavirus aid is distributed slowly.
The GlüStV, as approved by thirteen federal states, provokes criticism. This new state treaty will oversee the licensing of trustworthy online casinos from July, as well as stricter regulations for arcades. Before any physical space is authorized, there's a 500-meter minimum distance rule. According to Stecker, the German states are now at a crossroads: promote the legal offer or help create a black market.
Mercure owner speaks out on the crisis
Despite the closures and the trend towards illegal gambling, the Berlin Senate persists with their plan to significantly reduce the number of amusement arcades. A resolution dating back to June 2020 proposes a reduction by over 75%, to just 120 arcades. Along with the new minimum distance rule (500 meters in Berlin), there's a goal of creating a more enjoyable city landscape. Neighborhoods and shopping streets should no longer be dominated by arcades, as local officials suggest.
Mercure owner Paul Gauselmann's company faced losses for the first time in its history in 2020. He expressed frustration about the government's coronavirus policy, saying it was necessary to be assertive against bureaucratic processes to gain coronavirus relief. Although separate hygiene and infection protection programs have been launched and numerous measures have been taken, there is still no improvement in sight.
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Source: www.onlinecasinosdeutschland.com
