Germany's Betting Industry is facing a complete transformation

For the last few years gambling has gained huge popularity all over the globe. Playing online casino games can be a big fun but also very dangerous when the activity is not legal. Nowadays governments and regulators in many countries are doing more to control the environment.

The latest recommendations of the Gambling Research Center concern the necessary urgent changes in Germany's online casino industry

With the proposed measures of transformation online casinos could become completely legal in Germany too. The set of recommendations given by Gambling Research Center have been released for December meeting, just in time to give legislators enough time to think about taking action on the matter.

The recommended measures are based on a survey which highlights the problems of illegal and unregulated betting operators. The review suggests new principles of taxation – the same taxes to all sights. Actually the German public would be in support of gambling law changes. 

The figures from a research show that last year land based casinos in Germany paid taxes amounting to €319 million for a gross gaming revenue of €697 million. From the other hand, the same year, the illegal online betting sites generated the revenue of €1.7 billion. Theoretically this makes €915 million in taxes which have not been collected because most of sites work illegally.

According to the Criminal Code if any land based casino was caught operating illegally this will be considered a criminal offense and they would be prosecuted. But the online sites operating illegally do their activity without any fear of breaking the law. According to the Gambling Research Center the laws should be updated for an equal treatment of land based and online casino operators.

Under the current legislation playing at online casinos is considered illegal in Germany. The Gambling Research Center (GRC) recommendations are for some positive change for online operators and a relaxation in the law. First of all online casino gambling should be legalized in the country. This would make it easier to regulate and put under control. Players would be kept from going to illegal sites which carries  serious financial risks.

According to GRC implementing various measures for responsible gambling behaviour such as self-exclusion, setting limits and others would be easier when online gambling becomes legal. This would serve all the players who currently use illegal betting sites.

Together with the recommendations for legalization of online gambling the GRC thinks that the ban on poker should stay. The gambling authorities consider Poker as a vulnerable game that can be easily manipulated. They also think that all forms of casino gambling advertisements should be banned as well. 

When all these changes are implemented in Germany a new organization should be implemented to control and monitor the activity of the online casino industry in Germany.