Germany facing growing black market usage and tax concerns

[The Buzz]

A recent report reveals that only 20-40% of online slot play in Germany occurs within the regulated market, according to a recent report from online casino trade body Deutscher Online Casinoverband (DOCV).

This low figure highlights a significant black market presence, with many players opting for unregulated sites. While sports betting fares slightly better with a 60-70% channelisation rate, the industry remains concerned about the impact of Germany's 5.3% turnover tax, which has contributed to a 15% decline in stakes since its introduction in 2021.

From iGB News:

Speaking during the DOCV’s ‘beer, pretzels and policy’ networking event during last week’s ICE conference (21 January), Dirk Quermann, president of the online slots and casino group in Germany, told attendees this data was based on estimates from academics.

Dahms said the body believes Germany’s betting regulator, the Gemeinsame Glücksspielbehörde der Länder (GGL), has not recognised the scale of the black market and the problem it is causing for the sector locally.

“We have an increasing black market problem in Germany,” Dahms told attendees. “We are quite sure the [black market] estimates of the GGL are far too low. Up to now, we don’t see that the GGL is really recognising this black market problem we are all facing in our daily work.”

The GGL reported back in July it estimated the total gambling black market made up around 4% of the overall German market in its 2023 annual report. But this included online betting, online slots and land-based revenues in Germany.

Read more here: https://igamingbusiness.com/legal-co...hannelisation/

[eenzoo]

If i read such BS like this, i could wommit. Two words on this: hybris, arrogance

“You would have €400m to €600m in illegal online gambling and €3 billion of legal online gambling, which would be a 20% market share for the black market,”

There is alomst non black or illegal market. IMO a casino licensed in Malta, Gibraltar, Isle of Man, even Curacao (Dutch contracts) is totally fine to provide business in all EU, EWG. Germans always playing the "we are soooo EU" card, but not here.