NEIN! EC states the German amended betting treaty is unfit for business purpose

Hopes of progressing Germany’s licensed sports betting agenda have been further dashed by the European Commission, who have dismissed new legislation presented in the ‘Second State Treaty’ as a ‘non-viable solution’.  

Pressured by industry stakeholders and sporting bodies, German officials rushed to present new amendments to the EU last October, with the purpose of amending the national gambling framework and fast tracking licensed sports betting.

Backed by a number of German cross-party ministers, the amendments presented in the Second Treaty would lift the Controversial Hesse 20-operator cap which had been dismissed by European courts for breaching EU competition laws and business practices.

The new provisions presented, called for temporary betting permits to be issued to 35 applicant operators allowing them to service the German sports betting market until 2018 when Bundestag constituencies aim to release a new nationwide gambling framework.

However, this week German media reports that the EC has contacted the German government stating that its provisional state treaty is an unworkable solution for industry stakeholders and business purposes.

German lawmakers will now return to the drawing board with regards to creating a workable sports betting regulatory framework.  Since the failure of its original sports betting licensing framework, the state of Hesse no longer commands the directive of national sports betting provisions.

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