Online gaming ban takes effect today in Germany

published on Part Time Poker News, January 1st, 2008

The first day of the new year brought with it a ban on online gambling run by private companies in Germany. The ban is intended to protect Germany’s gambling monopolies, and lets the 16 German states prohibit financial institutions from dealings with companies offering online gaming services. In addition, advertising is severely restricted.

The ban is expected to be fought in court, possibly by the European Commission, which had previously told Germany it thought the ban was going too far for the EU member. The ban “breaches EU law because it excludes foreign betting companies with EU licenses from the German market,” said Dr. Wulf Hambach, of Hambach and Hambach, a litigation firm preparing to challenge the ban. Dr. Hambach also said that he expects each of the approximately 3,000 online gaming companies in Germany to protest the anti-gambling accord which has the support of the ruling Hesse party but is opposed by politicians of other parties.