Gambling Addiction Rife in Berlin
Due to the vast number of places to gamble, more and more gambling addicts are appearing in Berlin.
http://www.onlinecasinoarchives.com/world/2014/03/01/gambling-addiction-rife-in-berlin/
Showing posts with label Germany. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Germany. Show all posts
Sunday, March 2, 2014
Gambling Addiction Rife in Berlin
http://www.onlinecasinoarchives.com/world/2014/03/01/gambling-addiction-rife-in-berlin/
Sunday, February 23, 2014
Gambling addiction nothing to play around with
Gambling addiction nothing to play around with
Slot machines pose the biggest danger to compulsive gamblers. A gambling addiction is a serious disease that can ruin lives and families, but attempts to tackle the problem in Germany have failed to make an impact.
Just one more win. One more press of the button and the pictures spin round and round again. Will a winning combination appear this time? The chances are small, but that's how slot machines work.
Lulled by the games' monotone jingles and flashing lights, compulsive gamblers are drawn in again and again - some even gamble away a fortune.
An unrelenting craving
Modern slot machines, found in bars and easily accessible to anyone over 18, are perhaps the most dangerous form of gambling. Young unemployed migrants are most at risk, according to a new study on gambling addiction in Germany published by the Federal Center for Health Education.
Addiction experts estimate there are up to 300,000 pathological gamblers - serious addicts who quickly get sucked in by the thrill of winning on the machines. As well as live sports betting and online poker games, slots are particularly risky for addicts. Around 75 percent of gamblers seeking counseling help have a problem with machines.
"The shorter the time between the play and the result, the higher the chance of addiction," said Richard Stelzenmüller, a therapist who works with addicts at the LVR Clinic in Bonn. The music, the lighting effects and the quick game get young men hooked in a short space of time, Stelzenmüller said.
His first question in consulting sessions with addicts isn't how long they've been "on it," but rather:
"Have you ever stolen from anyone to get money to play?" Like crimes related to drug addiction, if the answer is yes, it's a sign of heavy dependence.
Young unemployed migrants are most at risk
Addiction creates a disruption in an area known as the brain's pleasure center. People under stress usually reach for a drug. Gambling can serve as fast-acting stress relief, but the implications can be devastating if addiction ensues. Addicts often plunge into debt, lose their jobs and families, become criminals, and are at high risk of committing suicide.
In the space of a year, some gamble away the value of an apartment. A total of 4 billion euros ($5.5 billion) are gambled away at gambling halls each year.
Part of the problem is that these private, usually small, gambling venues aren't regulated by the state.
They don't fall under the German government's gambling monopoly, which includes lotteries, betting shops and casinos.
People in those forums face rigorous identity checks and can be banned - or choose to ban themselves - to keep them away from temptation. These stricter rules often end up driving addicts to slot machines in gaming arcades and bars, that are not regulated and where addicts are left to their own devices.
Profiting from lack of regulation
How is it possible that such a dangerous form of gambling isn't strictly regulated? Addiction counselors like Ilona Füchtenschnieder have long suspected that the slot machine lobby is more important to politicians than effective addiction prevention.
"They are always very lenient on the industry," said Füchtenschnieder, who works for the state gambling body in North Rhine-Westphalia. For several years she has been fighting against the trivialization of so called "small-time games."
When a new slot machine comes on the market, politicians put up with it, she says, and if that game turns out to be problematic, then there are "insanely long transitional periods" before any steps are taken.
Ilona Füchtenschnieder warns of the powerful gambling machine lobby
A good example of the cat and mouse game between politics and the gambling sector is the points game - one of the machine industry's tricks to bypass stricter gambling regulation. Each game must last at least six seconds, with a maximum bet of 20 cents per round, and a maximum loss of 80 euros per hour. Füchtenschnieder took a critical view: "The money that gets thrown in simply gets converted into points. You can play with much larger sums of money in a short space of time."
Who is the real winner?
Many different interests converge in Germany's gambling market. There are certainly strict rules such as the State Treaty on Gambling and the Gambling Ordinance, but there is also a powerful gambling industry. Their chief lobbyist is Paul Gauselmann, the head of a group of companies which manufacture slot machines, with an annual turnover of more than 1 billion euros.
The country also has a lot to gain from the sector. All states, with the exception of Bavaria, charge an entertainment tax, which amounts to millions in the bigger cities. For the municipalities however, gambling halls are more of a burden. The city usually pays for the costs of addiction, especially when people are unemployed.
Paul Gauselmann has build a slot machine empire in GermanySlot machines can guzzle away purchasing power. The devaluation of neighborhoods is another problem - who wants to buy a retail store or house in an area surrounded by dodgy gambling arcades?
Tilman Becker from the Gambling Research Center at the University of Hohenheim can't understand the fuss some local councils make over the proliferation of these types of venues. "It's a bit hypocritical when a municipality complains about the very gambling halls that they themselves allowed to be built there," he said.
Kicking the addiction
When all other avenues have been exhausted, addicts end up at the clinic with Richard Stelzenmüller. They go through a radical withdrawal process, to help them change their behavior and abstain from gambling. Like drug addicts, they suffer mood swings, insomnia and intense cravings. An in-patient treatment lasts two months, therapy for an out patient lasts one year.
It usually takes gambling addicts several attempts to regain control of their lives. Those who do manage to stay "clean" often have to grapple with a mountain of debts. Many clinics offer additional debt advice.
Ilona Füchtenschnieder said she believes banning slot machines in restaurants and bars could make a difference as it often serves as an "entry point." The state can't prevent addiction, she admitted, but there are models that can help reduce the risk. In Canada and Scandinavia for example, government-issued ID cards aim to help players stay in control.
"That would be a useful preventative measure to mitigate damage," said gambling researcher Tilman Becker. Players register for the card online, where they can set spending limits and even be blocked. If they don't have a card they can't gamble, and the game is over before it's even begun.
DW.DE
Monday, August 27, 2012
The Industry that refuses to take NO!
It makes no difference the state or the country. The Gambling Industry NEVER takes NO! for an answer.
Schleswig Holstein Bwin.Party Lawsuit
Terrence Nash | Aug 27, 2012
There has been a lot of news that the new govt. of the German state Schleswig Holstein is going to abandon the previous liberal laws of online gambling.It has been stated that the govt. is going to turn its back on internet gambling and join the more restrict regime that other German states are following. Many companies stated that if the new govt. alters or breaches any terms or conditions of their licenses, they will go to court and as for the companies awaiting their licenses, they also made similar threats.
This is exactly what two of the biggest gambling operators have done. Bwin.Party and MyBet has started legal suits against the new govt. of Schleswig Holstein. They based their law suits on allegation that the govt. is delaying the issuing of their licenses of internet gambling without any reasons.
Bwin.Party and MyBet are not the only companies waiting for their licenses as they are two of many companies that are awaiting the issue of their internet gambling licenses.
The new govt. and the new regime of SH is trying to revert and abandon all of the liberal online gambling laws in the state and return to the Treaty with other fifteen states in Germany that follow a more restrict regime when it comes to internet gambling.
The problem that faces the govt. is that such actions would put them at the receiving end of many lawsuits from companies that got their licenses and others that are awaiting theirs.
http://www.adi-news.com/schleswig-holstein-bwin-party-lawsuit/214491/
Saturday, October 8, 2011
Remember René Schnitzler?
Reviewed: Wigbert Löer and Rainer Schäfer – René Schnitzler ZOCKERLIGA, Ein Fussballprofi packt aus
Remember René Schnitzler? The striker who Michael Skibbe back in his under 21 German national team days said to be twice the striker Mario Gomez was? No? Considering that Schnitzler’s biggest achievement in his playing career so far are 33 matches for the 2. Bundesliga club FC St. Pauli, only scoring 7 goals, hardly a good a return for a striker, it is maybe not that strange that you’d never have heard of him or that he slipped your mind. However, Schnitzler’s life and wasted talent is the theme of the book ”René Schnitzler Zockerliga – Ein Fussballprofi packt aus”.
While Schnitzler had the talent it took to become a great player, he had a demon hanging over him he couldn’t get rid off. German journalists Wigbert Löer and Rainer Schäfer have chronicled Schnitzler’s life. In a very blunt and honest way Schnitzler himself has chosen to tell the two journalists all about his gambling habit and how it ruined his career. The loosing streaks where the striker could lose his entire wage bag and more within a few hours, the dodgy joints he after a while chose to frequent, the money sharks he had to lend money from in order to keep his gambling habit going. The fast cars, the life style that changed with his winnings and earnings. All of it is there, well written and easily digestible for the reader. Löer and Schäfer have also given enough room to the people in Schnitzler’s life, his long time girlfriend and his parents, given them a voice that let’s them explain how Schnitzler’s gambling has effected their life.
Schnitzler is currently suspended from all football until september 30th 2013, because of his involvement in the German match fixing scandal. The former Gladbach, Leverkusen and St. Pauli has admitted that he took 100.000 euros of Dutch Paul Rooij, who according to several witnesses has made efforts to fix matches in the 2. Bundesliga. Schnitzler has said that two of St. Pauli’s matches against Mainz, and the matches against Augsburg, Duisburg and Rostock.
The reaction to the book
The mainstream of the German media happily re-printed Schnitzler’s personal tragedy and the details of it. Furthermore, this book has a few revelations the Bild Zeitung in particular seemed to enjoy. The ”locker room phone” the Gladbach players had in order to keep their girlfriends unaware of the other company they chose to meet. The mattress Schnitzler never used while being Leverkusen, but which was frequented by other Leverkusen players who needed a place to be alone from their family, but not entirely alone. One St. Pauli player who was quoted in the book saying ”I don’t want to know how many children grow up being produced as a result of footballers having an away match” could find this quote spread out all over the German media(good for him that his name wasn’t revealed in the book).
However, while all of those details seem juicy and might destroy the image of footballers as family friendly men who won’t do anything morally objectionable, it is entirely missing the point. This book is about gambling and the way footballers in Germany seem to be drawn to it. As VfL Bochum’s sport psychologist Dr. Thomas Graw points out in the book: ”Footballers are used to a high level of adrenalin, they don’t accept defeat. They are wired to get back out there and seek revenge for their defeats.” Graw says in essence that footballers are more prawn to fall victim to an addiction to gambling than other groups in society.
Question never being asked
Graw points out what the mainstream media in Germany and elsewhere neglects to mention, to the great delight of the German FA(DFB). These days president Theo Zwanziger is keen to ensure that gambling providers return as sponsors to the league, giving the Bundesliga more money than state-owned provider Oddset pays the league each year(the tiny amount of 200.000 euros). (And they will from 2012). Zwanziger wants millions and millions of euros flooding into football, and stories about the industry Zwanziger wants to sleep with ruining footballers lives aren’t what he needs. The club’s in the league have done their best to help Zwanziger, even St. Pauli done their best to depict Schnitzler has a sad case of one footballer acting on his own rather than the result of a culture that hasn’t done enough to protect players like Schnitzler from their demons.
The book reveals that four players of the national team had accounts at online gambling pages, and that three of them used them during the world cup in South Africa. Oliver Neuville is revealed to have frequented some of the same joints as Schnitzler. Former coaches and players come forward in the book confirming Marcel Schoun’s earlier quote(another player convicted for match fixing) that every team has four to five players who gamble heavily. Facts that the public shouldn’t be kept aware of in Zwanziger’s mind, considering how bad it would seem to take the money of the industry that ruins players life.
The book paints a picture of a football culture where gambling and not knowing how to handle the huge sums of money some of the players earn is common. The fans and the money they are spending on their favorite ultimately pay the wages of these players, however the DFB doesn’t seem to think that the fans need to be kept in the loop of how this money is ultimately spent in a culture that can’t protect some of its weakest members. Why papers like Bild, MoPo and kicker don’t seem to be interested in shedding some light on this fact is beyond me.
This book has done much in the way of enlightening the average football fan of the culture behind closed doors and in Bundesliga locker rooms. It is an absolute must-read in my opinion. It’ll hopefully be translated into English soon.
Remember René Schnitzler? The striker who Michael Skibbe back in his under 21 German national team days said to be twice the striker Mario Gomez was? No? Considering that Schnitzler’s biggest achievement in his playing career so far are 33 matches for the 2. Bundesliga club FC St. Pauli, only scoring 7 goals, hardly a good a return for a striker, it is maybe not that strange that you’d never have heard of him or that he slipped your mind. However, Schnitzler’s life and wasted talent is the theme of the book ”René Schnitzler Zockerliga – Ein Fussballprofi packt aus”.
While Schnitzler had the talent it took to become a great player, he had a demon hanging over him he couldn’t get rid off. German journalists Wigbert Löer and Rainer Schäfer have chronicled Schnitzler’s life. In a very blunt and honest way Schnitzler himself has chosen to tell the two journalists all about his gambling habit and how it ruined his career. The loosing streaks where the striker could lose his entire wage bag and more within a few hours, the dodgy joints he after a while chose to frequent, the money sharks he had to lend money from in order to keep his gambling habit going. The fast cars, the life style that changed with his winnings and earnings. All of it is there, well written and easily digestible for the reader. Löer and Schäfer have also given enough room to the people in Schnitzler’s life, his long time girlfriend and his parents, given them a voice that let’s them explain how Schnitzler’s gambling has effected their life.
Schnitzler is currently suspended from all football until september 30th 2013, because of his involvement in the German match fixing scandal. The former Gladbach, Leverkusen and St. Pauli has admitted that he took 100.000 euros of Dutch Paul Rooij, who according to several witnesses has made efforts to fix matches in the 2. Bundesliga. Schnitzler has said that two of St. Pauli’s matches against Mainz, and the matches against Augsburg, Duisburg and Rostock.
The reaction to the book
The mainstream of the German media happily re-printed Schnitzler’s personal tragedy and the details of it. Furthermore, this book has a few revelations the Bild Zeitung in particular seemed to enjoy. The ”locker room phone” the Gladbach players had in order to keep their girlfriends unaware of the other company they chose to meet. The mattress Schnitzler never used while being Leverkusen, but which was frequented by other Leverkusen players who needed a place to be alone from their family, but not entirely alone. One St. Pauli player who was quoted in the book saying ”I don’t want to know how many children grow up being produced as a result of footballers having an away match” could find this quote spread out all over the German media(good for him that his name wasn’t revealed in the book).
However, while all of those details seem juicy and might destroy the image of footballers as family friendly men who won’t do anything morally objectionable, it is entirely missing the point. This book is about gambling and the way footballers in Germany seem to be drawn to it. As VfL Bochum’s sport psychologist Dr. Thomas Graw points out in the book: ”Footballers are used to a high level of adrenalin, they don’t accept defeat. They are wired to get back out there and seek revenge for their defeats.” Graw says in essence that footballers are more prawn to fall victim to an addiction to gambling than other groups in society.
Question never being asked
Graw points out what the mainstream media in Germany and elsewhere neglects to mention, to the great delight of the German FA(DFB). These days president Theo Zwanziger is keen to ensure that gambling providers return as sponsors to the league, giving the Bundesliga more money than state-owned provider Oddset pays the league each year(the tiny amount of 200.000 euros). (And they will from 2012). Zwanziger wants millions and millions of euros flooding into football, and stories about the industry Zwanziger wants to sleep with ruining footballers lives aren’t what he needs. The club’s in the league have done their best to help Zwanziger, even St. Pauli done their best to depict Schnitzler has a sad case of one footballer acting on his own rather than the result of a culture that hasn’t done enough to protect players like Schnitzler from their demons.
The book reveals that four players of the national team had accounts at online gambling pages, and that three of them used them during the world cup in South Africa. Oliver Neuville is revealed to have frequented some of the same joints as Schnitzler. Former coaches and players come forward in the book confirming Marcel Schoun’s earlier quote(another player convicted for match fixing) that every team has four to five players who gamble heavily. Facts that the public shouldn’t be kept aware of in Zwanziger’s mind, considering how bad it would seem to take the money of the industry that ruins players life.
The book paints a picture of a football culture where gambling and not knowing how to handle the huge sums of money some of the players earn is common. The fans and the money they are spending on their favorite ultimately pay the wages of these players, however the DFB doesn’t seem to think that the fans need to be kept in the loop of how this money is ultimately spent in a culture that can’t protect some of its weakest members. Why papers like Bild, MoPo and kicker don’t seem to be interested in shedding some light on this fact is beyond me.
This book has done much in the way of enlightening the average football fan of the culture behind closed doors and in Bundesliga locker rooms. It is an absolute must-read in my opinion. It’ll hopefully be translated into English soon.
Tuesday, July 5, 2011
8 more people held in Turkish fixing probe
8 more people held in Turkish fixing probe
By Suzan Fraser, Associated Press
ANKARA, Turkey — Turkish police reportedly detained eight people on Monday in a match-fixing probe, raising the number of suspects to more than 50 in a scandal that has implicated league champion Fenerbahce.
The state-run Anatolia news agency says the eight are linked to topflight club Giresunspor. The club confirmed that its president and some other officials were being questioned but gave no further details. Police has declined to comment on the detentions.
Police launched simultaneous raids in homes and club offices in more than 12 Turkish cities on Sunday, detaining Fenerbahce president Aziz Yildirim and board member Sekip Mosturoglu among other officials and players for questioning about alleged fixing in the topflight league last season.
Aksam newspaper reported Monday that police searched the premises of Fenerbahce, Trabzonspor, Besiktas and Sivasspor, and that 19 league games are being investigated.
Dogan news agency reported Sunday that police are looking at Fenerbahce's 4-3 win over Sivasspor in the last round that helped the Istanbul club clinch the title. Fenerbahce's match against Eskisehirspor is also being probed.
Fenerbahce said in a statement on its website Monday that it is confident the club will "pull through" from the investigation.
Turkey's Star newspaper said the allegations include claims that Karabukspor's Nigerian forward, Emmanuel Emenike, and Eskisehirspor midfielder Sezer Ozturk were promised transfers in return for not playing, or playing badly, against Fenerbahce.
Karabukspor denies the allegations, saying Emenike was injured a week before the Fenerbahce game and has a doctor's certificate to prove it. Emenike has since transferred to Fenerbahce from Karabukspor in a deal worth about $9 million.
The Nigerian soccer federation issued a statement Monday saying it has written to its Turkish counterpart asking for details about Emenike's arrest.
Fenerbahce risks having its name tarnished like Italian club Juventus, which was stripped of its 2005 and '06 Serie A titles in the "Calciopoli" scandal, which revealed how favorable referees were appointed to key matches.
Turkey is the latest country affected by a slew of match-fixing and betting scandals in world soccer, involving international and club teams.
The current global wave of fixing scandals has been linked to organized criminal gangs exploiting the increased opportunities offered by online gambling to cash in on corruption.
Criminal trials in Germany and Finland this year have revealed bribes paid to players and referees to fix matches in about a dozen European leagues — mostly in lower divisions — for betting coups, as organized criminal gangs exploit the increased opportunities offered by online gambling to cash in on corruption.
South Korea and Italy have also launched criminal investigations in recent weeks to examine fixed domestic league matches.
FIFA is investigating a global network of fixers with links to Malaysia and Singapore, which is suspected of manipulating national teams' exhibition matches in Asia, Africa, Europe and South and Central America.
Most international matches under suspicion involve fixers bribing referees to influence the number of goals scored, often by awarding multiple penalty kicks.
Turkey has vowed to be tough on match-fixing, introducing legislation three months ago to battle hooliganism and cheating in soccer that included a maximum 12-year prison sentence for fixing games.
___
AP Sports Writer Graham Dunbar in Geneva contributed to this report.
By Suzan Fraser, Associated Press
ANKARA, Turkey — Turkish police reportedly detained eight people on Monday in a match-fixing probe, raising the number of suspects to more than 50 in a scandal that has implicated league champion Fenerbahce.
The state-run Anatolia news agency says the eight are linked to topflight club Giresunspor. The club confirmed that its president and some other officials were being questioned but gave no further details. Police has declined to comment on the detentions.
Police launched simultaneous raids in homes and club offices in more than 12 Turkish cities on Sunday, detaining Fenerbahce president Aziz Yildirim and board member Sekip Mosturoglu among other officials and players for questioning about alleged fixing in the topflight league last season.
Aksam newspaper reported Monday that police searched the premises of Fenerbahce, Trabzonspor, Besiktas and Sivasspor, and that 19 league games are being investigated.
Dogan news agency reported Sunday that police are looking at Fenerbahce's 4-3 win over Sivasspor in the last round that helped the Istanbul club clinch the title. Fenerbahce's match against Eskisehirspor is also being probed.
Fenerbahce said in a statement on its website Monday that it is confident the club will "pull through" from the investigation.
Turkey's Star newspaper said the allegations include claims that Karabukspor's Nigerian forward, Emmanuel Emenike, and Eskisehirspor midfielder Sezer Ozturk were promised transfers in return for not playing, or playing badly, against Fenerbahce.
Karabukspor denies the allegations, saying Emenike was injured a week before the Fenerbahce game and has a doctor's certificate to prove it. Emenike has since transferred to Fenerbahce from Karabukspor in a deal worth about $9 million.
The Nigerian soccer federation issued a statement Monday saying it has written to its Turkish counterpart asking for details about Emenike's arrest.
Fenerbahce risks having its name tarnished like Italian club Juventus, which was stripped of its 2005 and '06 Serie A titles in the "Calciopoli" scandal, which revealed how favorable referees were appointed to key matches.
Turkey is the latest country affected by a slew of match-fixing and betting scandals in world soccer, involving international and club teams.
The current global wave of fixing scandals has been linked to organized criminal gangs exploiting the increased opportunities offered by online gambling to cash in on corruption.
Criminal trials in Germany and Finland this year have revealed bribes paid to players and referees to fix matches in about a dozen European leagues — mostly in lower divisions — for betting coups, as organized criminal gangs exploit the increased opportunities offered by online gambling to cash in on corruption.
South Korea and Italy have also launched criminal investigations in recent weeks to examine fixed domestic league matches.
FIFA is investigating a global network of fixers with links to Malaysia and Singapore, which is suspected of manipulating national teams' exhibition matches in Asia, Africa, Europe and South and Central America.
Most international matches under suspicion involve fixers bribing referees to influence the number of goals scored, often by awarding multiple penalty kicks.
Turkey has vowed to be tough on match-fixing, introducing legislation three months ago to battle hooliganism and cheating in soccer that included a maximum 12-year prison sentence for fixing games.
___
AP Sports Writer Graham Dunbar in Geneva contributed to this report.
Thursday, June 23, 2011
Worldwide match fixing expands
Israeli club implicated in match-fixing scandal
JERUSALEM (AP) — Israeli police have arrested the owners and a former coach of topflight team Hapoel Petah Tikva and questioned the head of Israel's football federation about an alleged match-fixing scandal.
Israel is the latest country affected by match-fixing and betting scandals in world football, involving international and club teams.
FIFA is investigating a global network of fixers with links to Malaysia and Singapore, which is suspected of arranging for national teams from Togo and Zimbabwe to lose matches.
A FIFA-approved referee from Niger is also suspected of manipulating the results of several international friendlies, including Nigeria's 4-1 win against Argentina three weeks ago.
Criminal trials in Germany and Finland this year have revealed bribes paid to players and referees to fix matches in about a dozen European leagues for betting coups, as organized criminal gangs exploit the increased opportunities offered by online gambling to cash in on corruption.
South Korea and Italy have also launched criminal investigations into fixed domestic league matches in recent weeks.
JERUSALEM (AP) — Israeli police have arrested the owners and a former coach of topflight team Hapoel Petah Tikva and questioned the head of Israel's football federation about an alleged match-fixing scandal.
Israel is the latest country affected by match-fixing and betting scandals in world football, involving international and club teams.
FIFA is investigating a global network of fixers with links to Malaysia and Singapore, which is suspected of arranging for national teams from Togo and Zimbabwe to lose matches.
A FIFA-approved referee from Niger is also suspected of manipulating the results of several international friendlies, including Nigeria's 4-1 win against Argentina three weeks ago.
Criminal trials in Germany and Finland this year have revealed bribes paid to players and referees to fix matches in about a dozen European leagues for betting coups, as organized criminal gangs exploit the increased opportunities offered by online gambling to cash in on corruption.
South Korea and Italy have also launched criminal investigations into fixed domestic league matches in recent weeks.
Sunday, February 20, 2011
Campaign contributions linked to gambling support
Germany's gaming laws linked to operator's political funding
WALK AROUND Berlin’s deprived neighbourhoods and you’ll see one on every street, sometimes two or three. Although a long-time feature of the cityscape, gaming halls have multiplied in the German capital in recent years, targeting the city’s swelling underclass, in particular jobless young men with a migrant background.
The 24-hour halls all look the same: blacked-out windows, computer slot and card machines and free soft drinks at the bar.
Calls to limit the gaming halls have so far fallen on deaf ears, but a newspaper investigation may have just found out why.
Germany’s biggest gaming hall operator Mr Gauselmann has showered the country’s political parties with more than €1 million in political contributions, broken up into small amounts to avoid breaching donation limits. German law obliges parties to publish all donations over €10,000; individual political donations cannot exceed €50,000 annually or €70,000 in an election year.
However gaming company founder Paul Gauselmann urged his managers in a letter to make several small donations to the four major political parties – €80,000 alone last year – to “encourage understanding” for the industry.
Mr Gauselmann confirmed the contents of the letter, published in Süddeutsche Zeitung newspaper, but denied he was trying to bribe politicians. He said he had donated for more than 20 years and deducted all donations against his income tax.
Critics of the industry suggest a connection between the donations and Berlin’s decision in 2006 to liberalise the gaming laws. The years since have seen an explosion in the number of gaming halls in major German cities and, according to a new study, a huge rise in the number of gambling addicts. More than half a million Germans spend €3.3 billion annually in betting shops, casinos and gaming halls.
Pubs and restaurants are allowed to operate three gambling machines each. Berlin has over 300 casinos and gambling halls and 37,000 gambling addicts, according to official statistics.
After public protests, city government promised to tighten up legislation, limit opening hours and double the city’s entertainment tax to 20 per cent.
Gambling companies have protested at the measures while the political opposition and critics see the proposals as half-hearted.
“The city government is offering an umbrella as protection against a flood,” said Maren Kern, spokeswoman for Berlin resident’s association BBU.
WALK AROUND Berlin’s deprived neighbourhoods and you’ll see one on every street, sometimes two or three. Although a long-time feature of the cityscape, gaming halls have multiplied in the German capital in recent years, targeting the city’s swelling underclass, in particular jobless young men with a migrant background.
The 24-hour halls all look the same: blacked-out windows, computer slot and card machines and free soft drinks at the bar.
Calls to limit the gaming halls have so far fallen on deaf ears, but a newspaper investigation may have just found out why.
Germany’s biggest gaming hall operator Mr Gauselmann has showered the country’s political parties with more than €1 million in political contributions, broken up into small amounts to avoid breaching donation limits. German law obliges parties to publish all donations over €10,000; individual political donations cannot exceed €50,000 annually or €70,000 in an election year.
However gaming company founder Paul Gauselmann urged his managers in a letter to make several small donations to the four major political parties – €80,000 alone last year – to “encourage understanding” for the industry.
Mr Gauselmann confirmed the contents of the letter, published in Süddeutsche Zeitung newspaper, but denied he was trying to bribe politicians. He said he had donated for more than 20 years and deducted all donations against his income tax.
Critics of the industry suggest a connection between the donations and Berlin’s decision in 2006 to liberalise the gaming laws. The years since have seen an explosion in the number of gaming halls in major German cities and, according to a new study, a huge rise in the number of gambling addicts. More than half a million Germans spend €3.3 billion annually in betting shops, casinos and gaming halls.
Pubs and restaurants are allowed to operate three gambling machines each. Berlin has over 300 casinos and gambling halls and 37,000 gambling addicts, according to official statistics.
After public protests, city government promised to tighten up legislation, limit opening hours and double the city’s entertainment tax to 20 per cent.
Gambling companies have protested at the measures while the political opposition and critics see the proposals as half-hearted.
“The city government is offering an umbrella as protection against a flood,” said Maren Kern, spokeswoman for Berlin resident’s association BBU.
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