Lottoland's jackpot:€90 million alleged to be illegal?
A cleaning woman from Berlin won a staggering 90 million euros through an online provider based in Gibraltar known as Lottoland back in early June. However, there's a potential catch to this incredible story - it may involve money laundering. The situation is quite heated in the kitchen of the Berlin Senator for the Interior. Could this be the start of something big?
This fantastic yarn feels like it's straight out of a fairytale, too good to be true: When Christina, the 36-year-old cleaner from Berlin, realizes her good fortune - as she watches the numbers light up on the display panel - she can hardly believe her eyes. In the wee hours of the morning, she heads over to her mother's place, Anne (56), after a sleepless night. The incredible becomes a reality as she receives a confirmation email.
Christina is now a multimillionaire. She invested a mere 10.50 euros, with a win chance of 1:95,000,000, turning the numbers 14, 19, 21, 30, 32, 4, and 7 into her new fortune. Her mother had sent her the lucky numbers via WhatsApp the day before. Both women are left speechless.
Despite her intentions of revealing her stroke of luck, Christina opts for anonymity. She's pixelated on press photos; her true name, Christina, is just a nickname. "We wouldn't have any peace otherwise," she admitted.
She has dreams of quitting her job as a cleaner and setting off on a journey across the United States. Christina told Bild Zeitung. But it wasn't always so. She always found joy in her job, yet now it seems it was all leading to this moment. The saying, "rags to riches," is now a reality for Christina.
However, the happy story may not last, as Christina's prize money is being criticized as a potential case of money laundering. It's even rumored that she may have committed a criminal offense, sparking interest from the Berlin Senate Department for the Interior. German banks are feeling the pressure, as well.
Christina won the prize through secondary provider, Lottoland, which is based in Gibraltar and has been in operation since 2013. In an interesting twist, this licensed online operator falls under the ire of the German Lotto and Totoblock (DLTB), who believe they hold the national lottery monopoly in Germany.
The so-call "black lotteries" have been a cause for concern for DLTB managing director Torsten Meinberg. He often leads the criticism toward both providers and legislators. It's no surprise that many agree with him, as the German lottery laws are outdated, making way for digital bookmakers like Lottoland to offer bets on various national lotteries, like 6aus49 or even the EuroJackpot, as Christina did.
DLTB's managing director, Torsten Meinberg, has been critical of these "black lotteries," dubbing them detrimental to the common good. The German judiciary is guilty of falling behind when it comes to the booming internet market. Currently, there are only two licenses available in Schleswig-Holstein and Hesse for online sports betting, as the gambling laws are totally outdated. The jurisdiction lies with the individual states, and it's often overlooked.
But it seems this lax mentality may be changing. The key question is whether Christina will receive her winnings was first mentioned by the private Cologne media company RTL in mid-June. Citing the illegal online gambling law that the Federal Administrative Court (BVG) upheld in 2012, RTL made its point. Under § 10, paragraph 6 of the GlüStV, Lottoland is deemed illegal in Germany, even with an EU license. This point was reiterated by a Berlin Interior Senator spokesman, "Lottoland shouldn't be operating in Germany."
Since RTL's report, the story of Christina's seemingly fantastic win has been splashed across numerous media outlets, with further speculation of money laundering and potential criminal activity by Christina. The Cologne-based newspaper, Süddeutsche Zeitung, chimed in with the headline, "Cleaning lady wins 90 million, but the dream is a sham," claiming that it's a precursor to money laundering. The newspaper also suggested that the prosecution could be interested in this case. If Christina is convicted of participating in illegal gambling in Germany - which is generally not a crime - then she may have roused trouble for herself.
The Munich newspaper goes a step further, claiming that the benefits of the German lottery monopoly far outweigh the advantages of Lottoland, who doesn't contribute to the German economy by paying sales tax. Lottoland is challenged for its claim that German law violates European law and must be declared illegal. While the question of legality remains unanswered, it is clear that taxation should still apply.
It's uncertain what's in store for Christina - whether she'll receive her winnings or face prosecution for participating in illegal gambling. All eyes are on this case.
The harsh words appear to strike a chord: More and more news sources, including the well-known American technology portal IT Boltwise, are bringing up the topic. The Berlin Interior Senator has declared that German banks will need to adhere to the money laundering law in regards to Christina, where every credit institution in Germany is obligated to report when there are suspicions. The case will reportedly go to the public prosecutor once Lottoland disburses the payouts, they state.
Nevertheless, this hasn't occurred yet. Whilst Lottoland assures that Christina has a legally binding claim to the rewards and has been publicizing the winner on various internet advertisements for weeks, there's been little news about the mega jackpot. It's as if the entire online lottery industry is hanging on a thread.
Christina doesn't seem to care who pays her the money, she quips - after all, she won 90 million euros, right? The idea that she might not hold a legal claim to the money if Lottoland cannot or refuses to pay it out - that she could end up without a penny - seems to be lost on her.
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