The plan to issue 20 licences to operate sports betting in Germany came to a halt in Wiesbaden this week, after some of the biggest names in the business conducted a united campaign against the proposals.
The Glückspielstaatsvertrag - the treaty between 15 of the 16 the German states (Schleswig-Holstein did not sign) - agreed to limit sports betting licences to a maximum of 20 across the country. The united states gave responsibility for handling the joint treaty to the state of Hessen, where Wiesbaden is located.
The biggest sports betting company in Germany, Tipico, was not among those listed to receive licences by Hessen, so led a major rebellion by all of the big sports betting companies that had been overlooked in the lists. Tipico was joined by Bet, bet365, BetClic Everest and BetVictor, among others.
Now the administrative court in Wiesbaden has issued an interim suspension of the licensing process. Tipico went on the record immediately as welcoming the news, stating that the decision “confirms the fundamental objections raised in our lawsuit against the whole process.”
There is now expected to be a fresh licensing process, which may take considerable time.
Sports betting shops continue to operate in Germany until final decisions are made. They tend to be located next to a pub or bar where the sports matches are televised. Sports betting terminals are used in the shops.
In the pubs there is the right to operate a maximum of three AWP machines, which helps the pubs and also forms a substantial base for Germany’s AWP business outside of arcades.
