Betway Receives License To Operate Sports Betting In Germany. Wunderbar!
In October last year, the German authorities agreed to a new set of online gambling ‘toleration laws’. The new laws, which were criticised by some, saw those that gain a license able to offer a number of different gambling opportunities to customers across the country.
Now, Betway are one of a small number of sites that have been recently granted an online sports betting license, giving them access to the German sports betting market. Alongside other operators, Betway became the 27th operator to receive the new license since it was introduced last October.
Betway had already established a foothold in Germany by its partnership deals with a number of Bundesliga clubs including SV Werder Bremen, VfB Stuttgart, and Hertha BSC Berlin. All three of those deals had been agreed before the company’s license was approved by the governing body, the Regional Council of Darmstadt (RP Darmstadt).
“Transparency and Security”
The news was met with delight at Betway where the Chief Executive of the group, Anthony Werkman commented:
“We are thrilled to announce that Betway has received a sports betting license from the Regional Council in Darmstadt. As a leading regulated online betting and gaming company, this gives us the transparency and security to cement our position as a responsible gaming provider in the German market.”
“We look forward to delivering on our commitment to our German customers, offering them an unrivalled online sports betting experience in a safe, fair and responsible environment.”
Will Betway’s New License Also Include Esports Betting?
One interesting aspect of Betway now being licensed in Germany is whether the company, which has a burgeoning esports betting service, will be able to offer those services alongside its sports betting options in the country.
The situation regarding esports betting in Germany and of the issue of Loot Boxes within esports titles is something of a political hot potato in the country at the moment.
Earlier this week, the German Bundestag, its federal parliament, passed a new law for games with Loot Boxes which means that any game that offers any form of loot boxes, or a similar type of in-game offering, will from now on be classed as being an 18-rated product.
The aim of this being that the government wants to stop children from gaining access to loot boxes, which the government views as a form of gambling, through its reform of the Youth Protection Act in the country.
This will have serious implications for titles such as FIFA 21, which at the moment is available for sale without restriction across Germany, but thanks to its pack system in FIFA Ultimate Team (FUT), will now be certified only as 18+.
There is a workaround for this for Electronic Arts, the game developers, and publishers, and that is to disable any loot boxes or any other in-game purchase features, by default. However, it’s FUT add-on is one of the most lucrative parts of the game and also one of the most appealing for its players, both casually and also for the top esports gamers too.
This should not impact Betway’s ability to offer sports betting or even esports betting, but it is indicative that the situation in Germany, regarding loot boxes, esports, and sports betting still remains fluid and further changes may well be in the pipeline.
Since: August 10, 2015
