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October 2, 2008
A German court in Oldenburg has ruled that Toto-Lotto, the state lottery of Lower Saxony, that it is no longer permitted to advertise on the internet. Late in 2007, all 16 states in Germany approved the state gambling treaty which prohibited all online gambling throughout the country - this treaty includes online bingo, casino, poker and lottery sites, even those licensed in Germany. The treaty came into effect on the first day of 2008, in spite of a warning by the Ministry of the Interior, that the consequences would be felt in the funding of national youth culture and sports projects. The recent verdict by the court cites the above treaty, which forbids the advertising of online gambling services such as online bingo, casinos, poker, etc., on the internet or on television. Toto-Lotto fell foul of the strictly upheld treaty with an advertisment displayed on its own website, and is not allowed to appeal the verdict. Germany is one of the few countries in the EU to still maintain a strictly prohibitive policy on all forms of online gambling, including online bingo. In spite of this, last week a court in Berlin ruled in favour of another German lottery operator, Tipp24, in its challenge against the treaty, upholding that the legal restrictions enforced were in contravention to German freedom of services laws. Whether the caustic climate for online gambling in Germany will change to step in line with the majority of EU members states, remains to be seen. It is certainly a matter that the online bingo industry is keen to see resolved. Written by Charlene Grey for BingoStreet.com – where you’ll find all the latest information on the best online bingo promotions and free bingo games.
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