Paul Gauselmann, Founder and longstanding Chairman of the Board of the Merkur Group, has died at the age of 91, shortly before his 92nd birthday.
Gauselmann was a defining figure in Germany’s gambling industry and beyond. He spent decades shaping Merkur, transforming a one-man business established in post-war Germany into an international gaming group employing more than 15,000 people and generating around €2.1bn ($2.5bn) in annual turnover.
Born in Westphalia in 1934, Gauselmann began his career as a telecommunications inspector before moving into the jukebox business.
His entrepreneurial career began in 1957 when he took on a part-time role as a self-employed jukebox operator. In 1964, this led to him becoming fully self-employed as an operator of gaming machines in the hospitality industry.
He opened his first gaming arcade in Delmenhorst, Lower Saxony, in 1974.
Three years later, Gauselmann launched the Merkur B, the company’s first in-house slot machine. Its success helped drive the group’s subsequent expansion, including further machine development, hundreds of patents and a growing international presence.
The smiling Merkur sun, designed under Gauselmann’s leadership, subsequently became a recognisable symbol of the company and its gaming products worldwide.
However, his rise to prominence was not down to sheer luck. Gauselmann’s official credo was: “Otherwise, I don’t think much of luck. I do, however, believe in coincidences where you can either seize the opportunity or not.”
Gauselmann was also a major force in shaping Germany’s amusement and gaming machine industry beyond Merkur. He helped shape industry policy from the 1960s and led the Association of the German Vending Machine Industry for 28 years, earning respect from both colleagues and competitors for his contribution to the sector’s growth.
In 2003, Gauselman was awarded the Federal Cross of Merit, First Class, and in 2004 he was distinguished as an honorary citizen of the cities of Espelkamp and Lübbecke
