Bremen intensifies the arcade law

The Bremen Senate has adopted a new arcade law that provides for strict rules for the operators. The state government thus follows Ulrich Mäurer’s advance. In April, the SPD politician insisted to adaptation of the local arcade law to reduce the range of games in the Hanseatic city and thus strengthen protection for the players. The decision now threatens many gambling transactions in Bremen.

In the interest of the player protection

Bremen has a total of 171 arcades and betting shops. This number is likely to fall drastically in the near future, since the new arcade law is equipped with restrictive measures, the many Gambling operators rob the existence will. The basis for the realignment of the State Gambling Act is the State Treaty (GlüstV), which came into force in July 2021 and the Industry turned in USA to the left hat.

The glowing is valid nationwide, but the decision -making power bear the countries in the last instance. These can implement the requirements of the new legal framework at its own discretion. Bremen chose a restrictive path. According to the state government, the adaptation of the local arcade law was a necessary step in order to To strengthen addiction prevention and player protection in the state.

Gambling State Treaty. The new gambling legislation has put an end to the decades of struggle for contemporary and uniform regulation of the gambling market in USA. The legal framework was not only worked out together by the Prime Minister, but also follows a liberal path with a strong focus on player protection.

Provisions of the new Occidental Act

The new regulation of the Calvage Act in Bremen contains many measures that should be useful for player protection and gambling addiction prevention. Some changes are considered the key points because they will significantly change the gambling landscape in the Hanseatic city. So that will be about Admission age for venues increased from 18 to 21 years. Whether arcade or betting shops does not matter. At the same time, operators will have to have their arcades certified in the future and take a specialist examination.

The most important point of the change in the law includes the Minimum distance for gambling transactions. The Bremen Senate has decided to increase the current distance of 250 meters, the venues to each other to 500 meters. This distance also applies to schools as well as children and youth facilities. Since there are currently many shops at locations that do not meet the new minimum distance, there is a risk of mass extinction.

Further measures provide for a ban on so -called composite game halls and the connection obligation for arcades on the “Oasis” blocking system. In addition, venues may be allowed in the future No more food and drinks.

Transitional regulation. The requirements of the new arcade law do not come into force immediately. The Bremen state government has proclaimed a transitional regulation that contains a grace period for the operators. This applies until June 30, 2023.

Falling play hall density as a goal

The realignment of the Calvage Act is intended to drastically reduce the play hall density in Bremen. This goal had Ulrich Mäurer as the initiator of the change in the law called out a few months ago. In his opinion, a lower range of games automatically reduces gambling activities, since simply less incentive is offered.

Kristina Vogt (left) also hits the same notch. The area of responsibility of the Senator for Economic Affairs, Labor and Europe also includes the area of the arcades and the restaurant law in Bremen. Studies would show that reducing the availability of game offers one essential contribution to addiction prevention.

Meanwhile, Bremen politics pays a lot of attention to the disadvantaged and socially weaker areas in the city. The new regulation of the minimum distance requirement is intended to end the local concentration of the arcades and betting shops in the respective regions. According to Mäurer, it was very clear in the past that Spielstätten, especially in disadvantaged areas, nested. The development of a gambling addiction is particularly high there. As reasons, Mäurer and Vogt indicate a relatively low income, high unemployment and a relatively low level of education.

The Bremen Senate has decided to adapt the Occupational Act law before the new legal framework can come into force, the Citizenship previously grant the green light. From a political and bureaucratic perspective, however, this is more of a formal matter.

Handling in USA. Bremen is not an isolated case in USA with the tightening of his gambling law. Many other federal states have implemented the requirements of the GlüstV similarly restrictively to strengthen player protection and to suffocate the addiction addiction in the bud. For example, Lower Saxony was considered a model for the Bremen state government. North Rhine-Westphalia shows that there is another way. The most populous federal state has installed a special regulation when it comes to minimum distance, which allows a distance of 100 meters if the respective venues are particularly striving for player protection.