German sports betting licensing process halted by court ruling until further notice

The German Sports Betting Association (DSWV) showed its frustration after the Darmstadt Administrative Court decision to suspend the nationwide sports betting permit procedure until further notice. The move came after an Austrian betting operator, which is not a DSWV member, claimed that the licensing procedure was not transparent and non-discriminatory.

DSWV President Mathias Dahms commented on the news in a statement Thursday: “The decision of the court is a big blow to our members. Even though we were promised concessions by the legislator back in 2012, an early approval, which should have been made possible by the State Treaty on Gaming, which has been in effect since the beginning of the year, is now once again in the stars.”

“It is particularly annoying that there could have been permits for a long time. The Gambling Council (Glücksspielkollegiums) has not been able to reach an agreement for weeks, even though decisions were all set to be made. This body of 16 competent officials from the state ministries is responsible for the final release of the permits,” he added.

According to Dahms, the situation that has now arisen was avoidable and is now unsatisfactory for all stakeholders: “Sports betting providers in Germany are once again denied access to a regulated market and thus legal certainty. The applicants have once again invested a lot of effort and energy into the process and prepared for the regulated market. I also feel sorry for the employees in the Hessian Ministry of the Interior and the Darmstadt Regional Council, who have been very committed in the past few months to finally make the approval process a success. We hope the authorities can continue to issue permits quickly.”