Some countries are actively fighting online gambling. Meanwhile, other states make this business legal and receive excellent income aimed at developing the domestic economy through taxes and creating new jobs.
Germany was one of the first European countries where gambling gained legal status. In 2012, Congress passed the Interstate Treaty on Gambling Act which recognized online casinos and free slot games with bonus rounds legal.
A few months later, Schleswig-Holstein proposed its own bill according to which 40+ licenses were issued. The problem was that these documents were about to expire this year.
In May 2019, Schleswig-Holstein representatives made an official statement according to which the state will review its current laws regarding gambling.
“For 7 years, gambling on German land has restored the economy and we do not want to stop. By adopting a new bill, operators with an invalid license will update it and continue their work,” Christlich Demokratische Union Deutschlands published.
According to new changes in German law, online/offline gambling operators can extend the validity of their licenses until June 30, 2021. After that, the German states want to develop a number of additional solutions that will establish a new order. First of all, it will concern virtual gambling, the scale of which is increasing every year. As soon as the new law comes into force, the income of online casinos in Germany will be taxed, the amount of which will reach 20%. Experts say the changes may take effect after the New Year.
However, not all legislative lands in Germany are ready to accept the changes. In September, Hesse announced that it would secede from other regions in relation to gambling legislation.
“Hesse is focused on legal gambling. We do our best to attract gamblers to honest operators, so we are ready to separate from the current legislation in order to break the legal deadlock,”said Peter Bate.
Also, the Prime Minister of the Interior of Hesse added that the team of specialists is looking for new solutions to combat the black market.
“Pay attention to the new licensing conditions. The black market can be a big problem in Germany and if this happens then the number of minor players will increase.”
One way or another, German gambling legislation will not escape amendments, and at the moment no one knows what role they will play. In the meantime, you can enjoy your favorite slot machines with different bonuses and big payouts.