Bwin fails to overturn German state monopoly - Online Bingo News

Germany is one of the few remaining European countries which has maintained its monopoly on sports betting. All 16 German States voted in 2007 to preserve the industry domination within the country boundaries, and not to allow foreign firms in through the doors. Non-german online bingo, casino, poker or sportsbetting operators are not legally able to offer their services in Germany.

Austrian gambling firm Bwin, based in Vienna, has been trying to overturn this ban focusing on just the one state of Lower Saxony, but lost the bid earlier this week. The firm says that this has no commercial bearing on the company, and they will be appealing against the ruling.

This is not the first time Bwin has picked up the gauntlet, fighting for freedom for online gambling operators, including online bingo operators, so that players from all countries (at least in the EU) are legally allowed to access their services.

On Jan 1 this year, all 16 German states voted again to confirm a complete ban of online betting. This includes not just sportsbetting, but online bingo, casino and poker too - affecting the whole industry.

Although a couple of German states initially hesitated before voting with the crowd, Lower Saxony was the last state to vote in favour of the ban, holding off until the bitter end as it held true to the belief that the law was in violation of European Union Trade laws.

Perhaps this is why Bwin have been focusing their efforts in Lower Saxony, in an attempt to use the dissenting voters and turn the state around. Success would have meant a re-think for all the German states, as online bingo operators with the rest of the gambling industry would have then legally been able to offer their services in a single German state, which might in turn have opened the floodgates to an overturn in the country's prohibitive monopoly.

Bwin commented on the ruling, saying "Today's verdict is contrary to European law. This is why we are going to appeal this and are confident that European law will prevail in the end."

Written by Charlene Grey for BingoStreet.com – the number one authority in the UK for online bingo where you’ll find the best online bingo promotions!