Struggles in Battling Unlawful Betting
In the territory of North Rhine-Westphalia, the Criminal Police Department laments the insufficiency of resources and essential tools needed to suppress unlawful betting activities.
As per an insider report from the North Rhine-Westphalia State Criminal Department, the police encounter substantial obstacles in combating unlawful gambling. There's a scarcity of both appropriate devices and well-trained personnel.
Lack of Skilled Personnel and Equipment
In line with a report from Rheinische Post, the North Rhine-Westphalia State Criminal Department mentioned in their confidential final report the obstacles they encounter in combating illicit gambling. The North Rhine-Westphalia police are short on proficient individuals. Moreover, the criminal police and criminal technology branch lack sufficient personnel with adequate expertise in illegal gambling matters.
Ensuring the required equipment is also a challenge. Authorities need an adequate number of currency counters and automatic reading devices. Storage of seized devices is a concern for North Rhine-Westphalia officials, as corroborated by the Interior Ministry's report.
Another challenge, as per the report, is the lack of comprehensive enforcement strategies.
Interior Ministry Provides Training Opportunities
According to the internal report, the Interior Ministry of North Rhine-Westphalia extends training and information resources to all North Rhine-Westphalia police officers regarding illegal gambling. Multi-day events are organized to impart necessary knowledge.
Additionally, the Interior Ministry is currently developing a training video. A flyer has also been distributed.
Organized Crime Involvement
The North Rhine-Westphalia State Criminal Department has concluded in their final report that organized crime is often behind manipulated gambling machines – these are not solitary crimes.
Beamers suspect that it primarily involves criminal Arab clans that monopolize the market among themselves. Several groups are active – some members are already under investigation.
Herbert Reul, 71, Minister of the Interior of North Rhine-Westphalia, expressed his discontent towards this issue to Rheinische Post, stating:
"It's disheartening to see that criminal clan members evade taxes through illicit gambling and fund their lavish lifestyles this way.– Herbert Reul, Minister of the Interior, North Rhine-Westphalia, Rheinische Post**
Reul assured that security authorities would establish stronger connections in the future and conduct joint effective checks. He aims to disentangle the interconnected structures of clan crime. Miriam Brauns, 52, police president in the state capital Düsseldorf, also verified in May of this year her intention to increase control density.
Experiment Highlights Danger of Manipulated Slot Machines
The importance of the State Criminal Office's work and their fight against illegal gambling is emphasized through an experiment. The Gambling Addiction Association conducted this experiment and demonstrated the time it takes to lose 3,000 euros on a manipulated gambling machine.
On a standard machine, this would take 50 hours. On the manipulated machine of the experiment, the money was lost in just four hours.
Experts assume that a manipulated machine can generate between 9,000 to 14,000 euros per month for the operators. A manipulated machine in NRW that was seized by authorities recorded an unprecedented annual input of 423,000 euros.
In an attempt to combat this issue, there have been calls for improving the situation with regard to online casinos in Germany. According to a proposal by the German Gaming Association (DWU), stricter regulations and stronger enforcement against unlawful online gambling platforms could help reduce the influence of organized crime in the industry.
Despite the challenges facing the North Rhine-Westphalia State Criminal Department in combating unlawful gambling, some progress has been made. For instance, the Interior Ministry of North Rhine-Westphalia has initiated training programs and information campaigns to equip police officers with the necessary knowledge to tackle illegal gambling activities, including those that take place in online casinos in Germany.
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