The number of player suspensions in Germany has quadrupled since 2020. Many gambling addicts put themselves in the lock file. © IMAGO / blickwinkel
The number of gambling bans by gambling addicts has quadrupled since 2020. Perimeter advertising for sports betting, however, remains legal – for the addiction commissioner of the Federal Government a "trivialization".
Berlin - The number of gambling addicts registered in the German player ban file has quadrupled since 2020. This is the result of a report by the Redaktionsnetzwerk Deutschland (RND). The vast majority of registered persons choose this step themselves. According to the Federal Ministry of Health, the gambling ban is considered a promising tool for protection against gambling addiction.
Number of people with player suspensions in Germany quadrupled since 2020
At the beginning of May 192, 600,2023 people were in the nationwide blocking file, and over 95 percent of those affected had registered themselves. In 2020, the number of blocks was 47,000, climbed to 2021,107 in 000 and rose to 2022,153 block entries by the end of 500. "Since the vast majority can block themselves, the suffering of a large number of people must be considerable and also the insight that they have to do something themselves," said the Federal Government Commissioner for Addiction Issues, Burkhard Blienert (SPD), the RND.
Anyone who is registered in the file can no longer participate in gambling. This is because all providers are obliged to query the database before allowing gambling participation. The so-called blocking system Oasis includes lottery companies, casinos, operators of slot machines, state-approved betting shops and providers of online gambling. Those affected can leave the block themselves, but can also be set up by family members or even gambling providers. "The high number of player suspensions speaks volumes," commented the addiction officer Blienert.
- Signs of gambling addiction according to the Federal Ministry of Health:
- Addicts are those who can no longer stop gambling. Thoughts are constantly circling around gambling, the urge to gamble is uncontrollable.
- Gambling addicts often face financial difficulties. In some cases, those affected lie or commit crimes in order to raise money for gambling.
- Those affected often try to compensate for losses in gambling with further gambling.
- Gambling addiction often puts a strain on work, family or partnerships. Family or professional commitments are often neglected. Outbursts of anger or mood swings are often the order of the day.
- Those affected do not manage to stop gambling on their own.
The gambling market is growing – and has been shifting more and more to the Internet since Corona
If you watch a football match in Germany, you can't avoid advertising for gambling. For gambling addicts, this could be the wrong signal. The Federal Government's Addiction Commissioner is therefore calling for stricter rules and sees perimeter advertising in stadiums "from the first to the last minute" as a trivialization of sports betting. The states are now on the train and would have to adjust in the gambling state treaty, said the SPD politician in May of the German Press Agency. In fact, sports betting was the biggest revenue driver in gambling in 2021. This is according to the "Yearbook Addiction 2023" of the German Central Office for Addiction Issues (DHS), although more recent figures for the years 2022 and 2023 are not yet available. "We take a very critical view of this and are keeping an eye on it," Rummel emphasized.
- What to do in case of gambling addiction?
- Gambling addiction is a recognized disease. Accordingly, health insurance companies, municipalities or pension insurance pay for the treatment.
- In Germany, there are numerous addiction counselling centres, self-help groups and inpatient treatment services.
- Sufferers can also contact their doctor and discuss further treatment steps.
- According to the Federal Ministry of Health, a gambling ban is a promising tool against gambling addiction.
- The Federal Centre for Health Education offers free telephone advice on gambling addiction: professional counsellors can be reached on 0800 137 27 00 Monday to Thursday from 10:00 a.m. to 22:00 p.m. and Friday to Sunday from 10:00 a.m. to 18:
00 p.m. - Addicted to gambling? Click here for the self-test.
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The Corona pandemic was a stressful time for many people, and the lockdowns in particular often favored addictive behavior. For the gambling market, this brought an increase in sales. In 2021, sales grew by 15.2 percent year-on-year to 44.1 billion euros. The increase was due in particular to legal changes that would have legalized sports betting nationwide, DHS Managing Director Christina Rummel said in a statement. According to DHS, casinos and slot machines lost importance between 2020 and 2021. At least in part, this can also be explained by the Corona pandemic, Rummel said. Gambling has shifted from restaurants to the Internet.
