Player Protection: How Things Look in 2023

Good player protection is very important in every country.

For this reason, most countries have extensive rules in place to ensure player protection.

However, there is no standstill in this area, which is why the regulations are always being changed and adapted.  

We provide an overview of which rules existed at the end of the year and which of these will be changed in the future.

Player Protection in Germany Changed

Compared to other countries, there has always been a special situation in Germany: online casinos were not officially allowed until today.

For a few weeks now, online casinos have been officially tolerated in Germany.

This means nothing other than that the judiciary does not take any steps against the online gambling providers.

Legalized are the online casinos but still not.

Only from July 2021 are online casinos legalized in Germany via the State Treaty on Gambling.

However, there are strict rules here.

Thus, no table games such as roulette or blackjack may be offered.

The official explanation is that no bank-based games may be offered.

Online slots and video poker, on the other hand, are allowed.

Spain: New Advertising Regulations since the Corona Pandemic

Spain has already reacted during the Corona pandemic and banned advertising for gambling during the day.

Advertising may now only be broadcast between 1 and 5 am.

This affects all channels: TV, radio, and the Internet.

What benefit did the government hope to gain from this?

Allegedly, gambling increased during the Corona pandemic.

To prevent a further increase, the advertising restrictions were set.

This was to counteract the fact that children and young people would see the advertisements on television and thus get the idea of taking part in gambling.

This fear was not without reason.

In Great Britain, for example, a study was carried out that clearly reflected the fact that 96 percent of 11- to 24-year-olds only came to gambling via advertising.

This study dates from March of this year.

It would be quite possible that the Spanish government took its cue from this study.

Gambling Could Be Legalized in Brazil

In Brazil, gambling has been banned since 1946.

Fifty years later, bingo parlors were introduced, but were forced to close again shortly thereafter.

Behind all this is the idea that gambling and especially lotteries are only offered by the state.

This monopoly position could disappear next year.

At the moment, it is being considered whether online gambling should be legalized by law.

The regulations regarding player security have not yet been published.

However, it is assumed that there will be certain regulations to ensure player safety.

Sweden Extends Stake Limits to Next Year

Sweden is another country that has already reacted during the Corona pandemic and wanted to prevent increased gambling.

For this reason, Sweden already enacted the regulation in the summer of this year that only just under R500 per week may be deposited in an online casino.

Although this is a very high sum compared to Germany, the gambling association reacted relatively quickly and feared that most players would migrate to illegal offers.

Originally, the betting limit was created to protect citizens during the Corona Pandemic.

However, it didn't take long before the betting limit was extended.

At first, it was supposed to last until the end of the year.

Then it was said that the limit would be in place until July 2021, and now the limit could be in place permanently.