German sports betting trade body Deutscher Sportwettenverband (DSWV) has welcomed state-owned operator Oddset Sportwetten as its latest member.
Oddset Sportwetten joins DSWV with immediate effect from today (1 December). It means all major private or state-owned operators in Germany are now working with the DSWV.
The operator will join other brands in working with the the DSWV to protect legal sports betting in the country.
“The regulation of sports betting in Germany – in particular important issues of player protection and the fight against the black market – will be the focus of the joint work,” the DSWV said.
Founded in 2014, the DSWV represents the interests of sports betting providers in Germany. The organisation facilitates dialogue between operators, politicians and the media.
Other DSWV members include Admiral Bet, Bet-at-home, Bet365, Betway, Bild Bet, Bwin, Interwetten, Sportwetten.de and Tipico.
DSWV-backed study flags concerns over Germany black market
News of the expanded DSWV network comes after a study last month from the University of Leipzig warned close to half of all online gambling in Germany takes place with unlicensed operators.
The report said the State Treaty on Gambling, which came into force in July 2021, is missing its key target. This refers to ensuring all online gaming takes place on licensed sites.
This led to the DSWV German Online Casino Association (DOCV), which both commissioned the report, to call on Germany’s gambling regulator (GGL) to make regulated casinos a more competitive proposition
Also last month, another study revealed four out of ten of Germans gambling on slot machines suffer from gambling harm.
Billed as Germany’s first “scientifically grounded report” to measure problem gambling, it was published by Drogenbeauftragter, the Federal Drug Commissioner of the Bundestag.
The report found online casino holds the highest risk for problem gambling. Of these more high-risk games, 46% of men take part weekly or daily, compared to 35% of women. Slots were also recognised as the highest contributor to problem gambling in Germany.
