Interview SPORTS BETTING - TIPWIN
business. The market will then decide who will be successful. The market should regulate itself amongst the bona fide companies. This will then ensure we have a stable and legal market to operate in.
Has the German state cracked down on the operation of illegal black-market sports-betting operations now that it has licensed the market?
No. We really wish this would be the case. The illegal market is damaging our business. Not only that, they create a negative image of sports betting. Serious companies like ourselves state that the only way for success is for complete market regulation. The market needs qualitative criteria to follow and these need to be set at a high standard. Those who pass such criteria should then be allowed to operate in the market.
Have legitimate Schleswig-Holstein licensed- operators been caught up in the chaos? What does this mean for the nationwide sports-betting concession process?
Not so. Here sports betting is allowed only in the state of Schleswig- Holstein. The territorial business – i.e. the betting shops – can only be licensed in this state. The online business is only confined to within the state. We at Tipwin have fulfilled all the conditions for Schleswig- Holstein and we operate betting shops there. We plan to further expand the shops segment.
What is the solution to the situation?
Absolute liberalisation of the market – yet operating corresponding to strictly laid out criteria. People wish to have their money in secure harbours. This is also true for our market. A licensed market would draw in investment on the basis of legal certitudes.
Will the nationwide operation of legal sports-betting in Germany take place in the near future? What’s the timetable and is it likely to run to schedule?
they calculated the points for each applicant. Although we were just outside the top twenty, we believe that we should have belonged to the top six. We saw it as our right and duty to take legal proceedings.
How should the licensing process have been done?
Creating the points system based on major factors such as security and responsible gaming is the right way to go. However, applicants which pass the legal stipulations should have the right to operate their
This is unlikely. There has been no decision made from the lawsuits filed by the sports betting companies that were not due to be awarded a licence that yet conferred to all the necessary criteria. Once the legal response has been made, the politicians will then have to reach a new consensus. This is a notoriously arduous task. And then after that a new law has to be passed and a new tender process needs to be put into practice. I see at least another 18 months being taken up before we can place a new tender.
What impact will the withdrawal of many online operators in the online casino gambling sector in Germany, have on the online sports-betting market?
My opinion is that this will have some effect on our business, yet the effect will not be so large. The reason why I believe this is that gamblers and sports betting pundits tend to be two different types of personalities. Sports betting sets a certain level of interest in the sport as a prerequisite. The pundit really needs to know and understand the sport. Gambling is based only on chance. Yet this is my opinion based upon my experience. Scientific confirmation of these indications still needs to be carried out in the corresponding fields of research.
Serious companies like ourselves state that the only
way for success is for complete market regulation. The market needs qualitative criteria to
follow and these need to be set at a high standard.
The sports-betting providers in Germany grossed €4.5bn in 2014, a turnover increase of around 20 per cent in comparison to the year before. What accounts for this increase?
€4.5bn is the official figure. I believe that it is higher as the grey market is large and is often not included in this figure. We see a market potential between €12bn and €15bn for sports betting in Germany. The EU ruling on sports betting has given us a stronger pillar to base our business upon. The upshot of this is that advertising revenue has increased in our market – and this has had a positive effect on the industry.
How important is it that sports-bets are not offered on amateur football in the country?
As a sports betting company, we are always looking to expand our offers to our customers. Sports betting is destined for sports that are in the public eye that are, for example, transmitted on live television. We conform to the local laws. It is possible to bet on amateur leagues in some countries. The authorities presume there may be potential for manipulation. This has nothing to do with the bookmakers. Such a problem lies within the sports organisation itself.
What is the culture of sports betting in Germany?
The media plays a major role here. They use terms such as the sports betting mafia. Yet it is never the bet that is at fault. We are often put in the same light as casino gambling. However, we do see the younger people being more open to sports betting and the market potential for sports betting is very good – once we have a clear and secure legal framework to adhere to.
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