Hesse aims to advance the State Treaty on Gaming, with the Minister President promising assistance to the gaming business.
The Parliamentary Evening occurred in Wiesbaden on the 14th of May in 2024. This event was organized by the umbrella organization Die Deutsche Automatenwirtschaft (DAW) and the Hessian Coin-operated Machine Association (HMV). Hesse's Minister President, Boris Rhein from the Christian Democratic Union (CDU), spoke openly at the gathering and revealed his state's plans to advance the State Treaty on Gambling.
Illegal black market as a hurdle in Hesse
During his speech at the event, DAW board representative Georg Stecker commended the Hessian approach to regulating gambling, focusing on areas like youth and player protection, as per a report in the trade journal games & business.
Stecker further explained that gaming hall concepts need to meet players' demands in order to comply with the State Treaty on Gambling, which aims to tame the black market.
HMV Chair Michael Wollenhaupt voiced his worries about the growing illegal market, posing a risk to legitimate suppliers. He said that efforts were being made to slow down this trend through training and collaboration with regulatory authorities. However, political support is also necessary.
Political backing for the gambling industry
Rhein concurred with Stecker and Wollenhaupt and pledged political backing to help strengthen legal offerings and make them more appealing:
"It is the duty of the state to reconcile the desire to gamble with effective player protection. We can only fight the black market for illegal gambling with enticing offerings on the legal market. That's why we will continue to promote the competitiveness of licensed providers and free them from regulatory constraints. - Boris Rhein (CDU), Minister President of Hesse, source: games & business"
According to Rhein, the goal is to figure out a way within the "guard rails" of the State Treaty on Gambling to make Hessian gambling more intriguing for both providers and players than what is available on the black market.
Evaluation of the State Treaty on Gambling in 2026
The State Treaty on Gambling includes a provision in Section 32 for a thorough evaluation, which is due to be completed by the end of 2026. Consequently, the Joint Gambling Authority of the federal states (GGL) has assembled a group of experts and allocated additional funding for research promotion.
Some previous research efforts have been criticized for their survey design. Earlier studies conducted by the University of Leipzig demonstrated that illegal gambling is more prevalent in Germany than initially stated by the GGL.
Hesse's intention to pursue the State Treaty independently from 2028
Rhein also disclosed that Hesse intends to develop the State Treaty on Gambling, which is slated to continue until 2028, independently if needed, unless other states see the need for changes.
Hesse is simultaneously working on its own online casino, which can be perceived as representatives and the industry teaming up to devise innovative ways to improve the legal gambling offer in the state.
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Source: www.onlinecasinosdeutschland.com
