German Court Sides with Gambler Over Sportsbook for Allowing ‘Excessive’ Gambling

Businesses in Germany that operate casinos and sportsbooks would now have to be careful lest they allow a player to deposit more than the EUR 1,000 deposit cap in the country, around $1166. 

A court in Bonn has ruled that players who have been allowed to deposit beyond this threshold will be entitled to get the money they overspent, which would mean that operators that have failed to police the depositing patterns of their players would be on the hook for the returns.

German Court Sides with Plaintiff on Deposit Limits and Subsequent Losses

However, the excess money deposited that way could also lead to more headaches, as some players may end up winning money, putting operators in an even tougher spot – do they void the wagers that were placed with the excessive money, and thus expose themselves to further litigation and regulatory scrutiny?

This may be what happens next, after the Bonn Regional Court said that Bet3000, a sportsbook, and operator IBA Entertainment would have to reimburse a customer’s online betting losses, because the brand allowed the user to deposit more than is permitted by law between November 2019 and April 2022. 

In the space of several years, the person ended up racking up losses of roughly EUR 16,000 ($18,673). The court established that the deposit limits for the customer were set as high as EUR 30,000 ($35,013).  

The court sided with the player, who argued that the losses that were incurred above the depositing limit ought to be reimbursed, which is precisely what the judge decided. This amounts to about EUR 12,000 ($14,000) based on the complaint. 

While this ruling may prove harsh from an operator’s standpoint, there is an inherent logic to it, based on existing gambling laws in Germany. The depositing limit is strictly observed, as are other consumer protection measures.

Germany Still Needs to Address Black Market Operations

However, a much broader dialogue ought to be opened into whether these measures actually work. Germany has been scrutinizing its rules about gambling, and has paid closer attention to the spread of black market and offshore operations, although a chronic debate over channelization rages on, fueled by watchdog and industry trade groups.

At the same time, the GGL, the country’s gambling watchdog, has appealed to players to engage with licensed operators and avoid black market alternatives.