What is GluNeuRStv for casino players?
GluNeuRStv is the new regulatory legal framework in Germany which is set to come into action by July 2021. Actually the regulatory framework is called the “Glücksspielneuregulierungsstaatsvertrag” which has been shortened to GlüNeuRStv as it is difficult to pronounce. It is a far-reaching set of regulations that encompasses all different forms of online gambling and in particular how German customers can access them, and what casinos can offer to German players.
GluNeuRStv the new regulatory framework began in October 15th 2020 but is expected to be fully incorporated across Germany by the 1st July 2021. Sports betting, online casino gaming and poker are all permitted in Germany under the new guidance, provided the casino adheres to the regulations within the framework for each. 15 companies have already been awarded sports betting licenses to operate in Germany. The 15 companies in receipt of the new licenses accounted for 75% of the total spent on sports betting in Germany last year.
GluNeuRStv- The new laws for online casinos
The key aspects of the new gaming legislation in Germany GluNeuRStv is the quest for greater clarity and transparency, plus the opportunity to greater protect German players when betting in any form online, has been the driving force behind the new legislation and the new ‘online gambling toleration regime’ as it is being called does have many aspects to it, covering all aspects of online gaming, even down to how casinos are allowed to market themselves to players within Germany.
It also contains a number of references regarding what a casino can and cannot offer players and it is these laws and rules that have been met with some consternation by many in Germany who feel that their gambling liberties are set to be infringed. Some of the key regulations that will have a direct impact on German players are:
- Casino sites will only be allowed to offer player bonuses worth up to €100 per year in value.
- As a player you will only be allowed to wager a maximum of €1,000 per month. There is scope within the framework for this to be raised to €10,000 per month provided that certain conditions are met.
- New players will also find deposit restrictions on their account until they have completed a customer verification process when it is expected some of these restrictions will be lifted.
- Players that enjoy In Play betting on sports such as football will find that they only have limited markets available to them with the Next Goalscorer and Final Result markets being the only one that companies are allowed to offer.
- Slot games will have a maximum stake limit of €1 per spin set.
- Each slot game must see the reels spin for at least five seconds before they resolve.
- Online casinos must ensure that players cannot open another window in their browser or on their device to play a second or third slot game or similar at the same time as they are playing another game.
Until the full guidance is implemented in July 2021, table games such as blackjack and roulette are not allowed to be offered to players.
Casinos, poker and sports betting operators that hold a German license are banned from using affiliate advertising to attract new customers. They are also forbidden to pay affiliates any money for any leads and conversions that the affiliate provides to the site. This has led to a number of providers contacting affiliate sites asking them to modify and edit their German-facing sites, or even stop their marketing to German customers, at least for the time being.
Affiliates or marketing for the new casinos will also be forbidden from promoting table games such as roulette, blackjack and baccarat, Live Casino games will also not be allowed to be promoted and promotion of jackpot games, including progressive jackpots, will also be banned,
Also the use of the words “casino”, “casinos” or “casino games” has been banned when promoting new German casino sites, and this extends not just to the written word, but also to the inclusion of the word in advertising logos or banners.
While there are a lot of these new measures that do make sense in terms of player protection, such as the limits on how much you can wager a month, deposit limits and even upper limits for how much you can bet on slot games, some of the other measures, notably the banning of using affiliate sites for marketing and that casinos are not allowed to use a number of words relating to their service in their advertising, does seem excessive.
The actual framework contains a great deal more information than what is listed above and so comprehensive is it that rather than rolling out the Framework immediately, Germany is starting the process of making all its licensed sites compliant with the idea being that by July 1st 2021, all sites in the country will be fully compliant with the GluneuRStV.
You will still be able to access sites that offer sports betting, casino gaming and poker over the long term. This is a positive as there had been concerns that Germany could ban certain betting options for customers.
This clearer regulation of the industry means that there are far less ‘grey’ areas within the industry which could offer less than reputable companies to operate and exploit German customers. Furthermore, the player protection rules mean that Germany will have some of the strongest gambling protection laws in the world.
Disadvantages for players
- There are going to be much more disadvantages for players such as capped bonuses of €100. With the new regulations only allowing a casino to offer bonuses of up to €100 a year in value to players, this could well mean much smaller, or significantly fewer promotions and bonuses available at the new generation of German casinos.
- As there will be maximum monthly spend/deposit limits some players are not happy about it.
- The deposit limits at present €1,000 per month for standard players, with a few provided they can meet the requirements, can increase this to €10,000 per month are generally enough for all but the higher roller players and so they should not have too great an impact on the majority of German players, who would usually deposit less than this amount anyway.
- Similarly maximum bet size of €1 on slot games is a measure which is going to have a significant impact, especially on players that preferred to wager more per spin, in the hope of landing some of the potentially larger wins available on slot machines. For players who play small stakes or micro stakes, this upper limit won’t be of any concern as they would likely have played slots for less anyway, but for medium to higher stakes players, it could severely impact the enjoyment and excitement that they get from a game.
Now that you understand that GluNeuRStv is for German casino players, the gamers hope for the best for this new laws on online casinos that will be implemented in few months of time. (Inputs from news sources)
