German Regulations on Gambling and Lottery Law

Gambling Law for Gambling Businesses

The German Regulations on Gambling concerns the general German Civil Law, Competition Law and also Penal Law. It has also been regulated to varying degrees in many other countries. In Germany, of fundamental importance are the following Sections:  284, 285, 286, 287 of the German Penal Law (StGB) as well as  Sections 657, 661, 661a of the German Civil Code, the State Treaty on Gaming and Sections 3, 4 No. 5, 11 of the Act Against Unfair Competition (UWG). The German Gaming Act (SpielVO) regulates commercial gaming machines in amusement arcades and restaurants/public houses as well as other games which offers the possibility of winning.

Germany and the EU have extremely restrictive regulations regarding the regulations on gambling. However, the case law of the European Court of Justice has also led to a tendency to mitigate the previously state monopoly on gambling in Germany, as some private gambling providers from other states saw the freedom to provide illegal services, and these restrictions could not only be justified with the protection of minors.

Accordingly, in addition to the state lottery and ticket providers, there are also many private companies which, for example, carry out sports or general bettings and these kind of activities also need to be regulated.

Gambling Regulations applied on tempary gambling or lotters organizers/providers

Gambling Law does not only applies to majour gambling companies, which almost exclusively organise gamble games, but also to companies in general, which only want to carry out a bet or a raffle once or several times for a special occasion or for a special advertising campaign.

We can help you in the following gambling law matters:

  • Competition law, gaming law and criminal law examination of advertising campaigns and event concepts
  • Advice and representation in closure and prohibition orders as well as trade prohibitions
  • Assertion (warning) and judicial enforcement of claims for injunctive relief under competition law, claims for information and removal, damages as well as possible ancillary claims
  • Representation before national courts and the European Court of Justice as well as assistance in cross-border transactions
  • Examination and implementation of state liability suits.

Other Topics concerning the German Gambling and Lottery Law:

  • Raffles
  • Bettings
  • Betting Regulations
  • Lottery Rights
  • Gambling
  • Approvals of competition
  • Organisation of gambles, raffles
  • Lottery Law
  • Gambling Law on Poker
  • German Lottery Law
  • EU lottery law / EU gambling law