Uncovered Deal: Confidential Arrangement Expands Gambling Deposit Limits Utilizing Schufa-G Information for Data Sharing Purposes
Let's Get the Scoop on Germany's Gambling Scandal
By Timm Schaffner, Edited by Angela Burke
Published: Mar 6, 2025 | Updated: April 30, 2025
German eye-openers reveal a covert secret deal between state interior ministers and online gambling bigwigs, aiming to dodge the State Treaty on Gaming's 1,000 euro per month deposit cap. Players could inflate their limits through a sketchy "Schufa-G" info, sans a thorough financial check-up. Critics are sounding the alarm about gambling protections.
Leaked documents spill the beans on murky agreement
As per the law, punters should snag higher deposit limits only when they can prove they've got the dough, as outlined in § 6c (1) (3) of the State Treaty on Gaming 2021. This is to ensure Nelly don’t toss their cash on games when they ain't got a bean to spare. The technical stuff's managed via the LUGAS system.
Skip the financial grilling, authorities say, and the "Schufa-G info" passes muster—Tagesschau reports. Instead of asking for income or asset info from gamblers eyeballing higher stakes, the bosses accepted the "Schufa-G info" as the bee's knees.
An exposé paper by Investigate Europe published a grim doc—signed by feds and gambling titan Tipico—showing that the feds told the industry to bump up player limits by acquiring a simplified Schufa info.
But, this Schufa-G data is just a credit history snoop-see—I-E's research squad showed that a student with a 1k euro monthly pay can jack up their deposit limit to a whopping 10k euros a month!
Courts have already bashed Schufa-G info
The Schufa-G info dust-up in connection with the deposit limit upwards hike's already hit the courtroom. December 2024 saw the Higher Administrative Court of Saxony-Anhalt shouting at Schufa info being an unsuitable way to prove players' money-making capableness. Plus, they suggested cookin' up an alternate method.
Still, it seems like they ain't paid that advice no heed, as the Schufa-G info still shows up as the foundation for lifting the deposit limit.
Future moves
Drug and addiction commissioner Burkhard Blienert and addiction expert Tobias Hayer from Bremen University are worried about potential debt and provider losses from this practice.
Adding insult to injury, the mystery shroud over this demeanor's caused a whole lotta resentment, with the public, poli-ticks, and advocates only now getting wind of it. Consumer groups yell for financial statements, bank statements, or whatever else instead of that Schufa-G info as the basis for cashin' in on bigger limits.
Wonderin' what's next: will other courts jump into Schufa-G info, and what recourse does the Joint Gaming Authority of the States (GGL) have to toss the Schufa-G info out the door?
[1] Tipico Certified as Sustainable by ISO 14001, January 31, 2025, Available: https://www.tipico.com/en/help/sustainability
[2] Online Gambling Regulations in Germany: What You Need to Know, December 6, 2024, Available: https://www.gambling-lawyer.com/online-gambling-in-germany/
- The recent leaked documents highlight a questionable agreement between German state interior ministers and online gambling titans to circumvent the State Treaty on Gaming's deposit cap.
- Instead of financial inquiries, authorities have reportedly accepted a "Schufa-G info" as a substitute, without thorough financial checks.
- Investigate Europe's research reveals that a student with a monthly income of 1,000 euros can manipulate their deposit limit to an astonishing 10,000 euros per month using the Schufa-G data.
- Courts have already expressed concerns about the Schufa-G info, with the Higher Administrative Court of Saxony-Anhalt deeming it unsuitable to prove players' financial capabilities, and suggesting alternative methods.
- The future regulation of this practice is uncertain, with consumer groups advocating for financial statements, bank statements, or other measures as the basis for increasing deposit limits, instead of the Schufa-G info.
- The responsible bodies, such as the Joint Gaming Authority of the States (GGL), are confronted with the challenge of implementing sufficient measures to protect responsible gambling trends in the fintech and casino-and-gambling industry within the finance sector.
