Berlin: Illegal gambling grows

The Association of American Automatic Industry (DAW) warns of the expansion of the illegal gambling in Berlin. In an interview with the Berlin broadcaster RBB, the chairman Georg Stecker revealed that the sewage mandate would fail to fail because more and more players switch to the black market. The reason for this development is the numerous closures of state -licensed arcades.

Occuptions die out

A good ten years ago, the political leadership in Berlin brought in New arcade law on the way, in the opinion of Georg Steckers, the main cause of the significant reduction in the state -based arcades within the capital. In the past, the then red-green government tightened the guidelines and statues for the local arcades and in this way has decimated around 80 percent of the businesses.

At that time initiator of the restrictive legislation was the Berlin SPD deputy Daniel Buchholz. The latter recently said in a media round at Berlin’s Nollendorfplatz that this has been City image changed strongly and positively have. As an example, he led that location. Before the legal realignment for citizens, it was possible without any problems to lose their own money in more than six different arcades at the machines.

The arcade law in Berlin. The legal framework for regulating the arcades in the capital, which was formulated on May 20, 2011, sees, among other things, requirements for the design and setting up and compliance with a minimum distance of 500 meters between individual casinos. The latter point is primarily responsible for the strong reduction in the arcade landscape.

Buchholz considers law as a success

From today’s perspective, the SPD politician sees the decision at that time as an absolute success. In his opinion, it was the right decision to restrictive To implement legal framework as the state law, so that there is a arcade flag in all parts of the capital. The status quo prove that he and the government at the time have made the right decision.

Only 128 companies left. At that time, Berlin counted almost 600 arcades. According to Buchholz, this corresponds to a true flood of arcades. Empty businesses and restaurants would not have been empty before a new casino opened their doors. The SPD politician replied today. This impressively shows the reduction to 128 companies.

Gambling addiction not defeated

What Buchholz and the then red-green government did not consider in the implementation of the Calvage Act, according to the “RBB” the persistent danger of gambling addiction. So the arcades and machines have disappeared in many parts of the city, but the addicts remain. Although there are no concrete numbers, an advice center for slot machines are sure that many players would switch to small “café casinos” to meet their addiction.

According to current law, corresponding restaurants are likely to be maximum Set up two gaming equipment in your shop. However, the premise applies that this is actually official restaurants and that the respective slot machines are registered with the authorities. However, according to official information, this is rarely the case.

High number of unreported cases. According to the Berlin police, around 128 devices were confiscated as part of illegal gaming activities this year alone. Many violations would also not be uncovered, since the controls are only carried out in a random. The number of unreported cases is correspondingly high.

Criticism by Georg Stecker

The entire causa has always caused a lack of understanding at the DAW. Georg Stecker now reiterated his criticism of the Berlin arcade policy and accuses the then government, the state -licensed arcades in one Much too large dimensions broken down to have. Since only a regulated, transparent and legal range of games comply with the sewage order, the enormous reduction of the game stores was the wrong step.

The expansion of the illegal gambling In Berlin, the logical consequence of the actions at that time was accordingly. The DAW chairman could not understand why Daniel Buchholz sees the restrictive arcade law as a success. It is obvious that the breakdown of the arcades is bad for endangered people because the Player protection cannot be maintained. In addition, the companies and operators of the industry would also suffer.

Approval. Stecker recently received support from Gunnar Schupelius. The columnist described the Berlin arcade policy as a shot in the oven. In his opinion, the measures would only have reinforced the problem of gambling addiction. Politics just don’t want to steer because it does not want to publicly admit the failure.