German national player exclusion scheme to launch next month

Germany has approved the introduction of a new nationwide player exclusion system aimed at tackling gambling addiction as part of a newly-implemented pack of gambling regulation measures.

The system, called OASIS, is due to be launched at the beginning of August. All gambling operators across the country will be obliged to sign up to the scheme under the terms of the Glücksspielneuregulierungstaatsvertrag (GlüNeuRStv), the body of German gambling regulation laws. It is hoped that this requirement will keep gambling providers in business whilst protecting consumers.

The basic terms of the GlüNeuRStv were announced in March last year and came into force on 1st July. The legislation provides for the establishment of a national regulatory authority for gambling. This will probably still take time to become fully functional.

The run-up to the implementation of the GlüNeuRStv has provoked concerns from the German Sports Betting Association (DSWV). According to DSWV president Mathias Dahms, while the association backs the new ‘long overdue’ legislation, it may not entirely preclude unlicensed operators from trading. Dahms has further called for certain provisions, including a €1000 monthly spending cap and a 5.3% tax on money raised from slots and poker, to be changed.

OASIS is currently undergoing final testing in preparation for its launch. Working similarly to the British GamStop programme, its implementation brings Germany into line with other EU countries’ legal regulation of gambling providers.