German Court Overturns Lottoland Blocking Order

This week a court in Germany ruled that the country's gambling regulator die Glücksspielbehörde (GGL) has no legal standing to block online lottery business Lottoland from player devices.

The ruling came from the Higher Administrative Court of Rhineland-Palatinate in Koblenz, which ruled that Lottoland is not a responsible service provider under the German Telemedia Act, and therefore not subject to rules from GGL. GGL had claimed that Lottoland was serving German gamblers illegally, as lottery betting was prohibited in the country at the time of the order. The regulator claimed that Lottoland needed to be blocked because German gamblers could be confused into thinking it was a legitimate lottery.

In a stinging indictment of GGL, the court ruled the blocking order to be "clearly unlawful".

Even with the ruling, GGL has indicated that they have ways to ensure Lottoland and other offshore sites comply with the country's laws. The group has indicated that they may lean on tax authorities to help keep operators outside of the country. In a statement a GGL board member said, "The reporting of gambling providers to the responsible tax authorities is one of the most effective instruments for combating illegal gambling on the internet. Because, with tax debts, the probability of obtaining a permit in the future is almost zero.

"If you have tax debts in Germany, you also risk being denied permits abroad. Licences that have already been granted can also be revoked."

Casino Listings News is following this story and will update readers as developments arise.