Gaming in Germany preview: 'We may be surprised how attractive the German market becomes'

What will the tone be at this year's Gaming in Germany, given the current German regulatory situation?

Looking at our programme, I think the tone of the event will be "constructive." Obviously, the current regulatory situation is not great. Let's not pretend otherwise. However - and I can't stress this enough - we will be looking at how things can be made better.

We should not forget that the current regulatory framework, Germany's 2021 State Gambling Treaty, is currently being evaluated. Already, it appears almost certain that some things the industry has been clamouring for, such as improved game certification, will become a reality. Admittedly, this is a relatively small issue, albeit one with a big impact on daily operations. Still, it indicates that the general direction of regulatory development could be toward improvement.

I think that is one reason why we see a noticeable uptick in interest from operators in our event this year. Operators can see that there is room for regulatory improvement, and they want to be part of the conversation on how to achieve it.

How do you view Germany in terms of being a 'bad' example to others? In markets across Europe, especially in the UK, it is often referenced as a warning for the wrong type of regulation.

Seeing Germany as a bad example when it comes to gambling regulation is a very fair assessment. But the important thing is that Germany did regulate its market. And, in the end, that is the only way for political stakeholders to see what works and what doesn't work. We also shouldn't forget that politicians - contrary to industry insiders - are generally not terribly well-informed about what makes regulated gambling markets work. And let's face it: gambling policy is hardly ever a priority for them. This means that sometimes it is necessary to invent the wheel a second time.

This brings me to a second, more general observation. Perhaps Germany's path isn't the worst. Looking at the example of the Netherlands, we saw a regulatory framework that initially gave the industry maybe not everything, but certainly a lot of what it wanted. Although additional restrictions were introduced even before the market opened, there was enough regulatory wiggle room left for excesses to occur. Since then, we have been on a path toward increasingly strict and far-reaching regulations.

Something similar is happening in the UK, where a fairly liberal gambling regime is in the process of being replaced by much stricter rules. My feeling is that, politically speaking, it is easier to liberalise an overly restrictive regulatory framework than to stop imposing restrictions on a set of regulations that - justly or unjustly - is being perceived as (far) too liberal. In the end, we may be surprised by how attractive the German market may become compared to other markets that first started out with a far more liberal regime.

Is there a danger of there being 'black-market' fatigue at gaming conferences? The issue is talked about everywhere, but the messages being put across often end up very similar?

I can't really speak about what happens at other conferences, but at our events we look at the black market as something that one needs to consider if the goal is to create a viable and attractive regulated market. In the past at our events, we have looked at the size and pervasiveness of black-market offerings. And we still do this, because, as a licensed operator, you must know what you are competing with.

Yet we are also increasingly moving toward an approach that looks at what stakeholders can do against the black market. Licensed operators have considerable market power as purchasers of goods and services. Why should they do business with suppliers that also service competitors who pay no tax and follow no rules? Why support those with your business who, at the same time, facilitate a highly unequal playing field that leaves you holding the short end of the stick?

But then the question arises: how do you effectively come together as licensed operators to ensure fair competition? This is something that is certainly worth discussing, especially during an event where you can personally meet like-minded stakeholders.

What highlights in particular are you most looking forward to for Gaming in Germany?

We are very happy that the German regulator, the GGL, will be present to deliver a presentation on their activities in relation to the regulated market. In addition to Germany's main trade associations, we also have speakers representing major individual industry stakeholders, including Tipico, ZEAL, and Kaizen.

I am especially excited to hear directly from these major operators. What are their main concerns and how do they propose to address the issues that they are facing?

If you could single out one positive impact the conference could have on the industry, and perhaps policy, what would it be?

We intend to conclude the conference with a panel titled "Toward a joint regulatory wishlist," in which major industry stakeholders have agreed to participate. I think that almost answers the question.

I should note, though, that the panel is preceded by a presentation on the political realities of gambling reform in Germany. Thus, we don't just want to end up with something gratuitous - wishing for the moon is easy, after all. Rather, we aim to end up with a list of realistic proposals that consider both the political realities and the long-term health of Germany's regulated iGaming market.

Finally, there is also a very practical element to several breakout sessions at Gaming in Germany - tell us all about those.

Our breakout sessions feature presentations on practical solutions for iGaming operators, ranging from game certification to ID verification, and from data compliance to RG.

We even have sessions on eSports betting - which may be closer to being approved than you might think - as well as on bringing live roulette online, something that is particularly relevant for Germany's land-based casinos.

If you are looking for practical ideas to improve your Germany-facing business operations, these breakout sessions might just be for you!