Gaming company Jaxx SE, who has produced some of its best figures to date last quarter – today announced that it welcomes yesterday’s resolution to liberalise the gaming market in Germany. However, it added that the decision by the 15 Prime Ministers of the federal states doesn’t go far enough, and that it will not stand up to scrutiny under European and constitutional law.
Jaxx Group‘s betting shop business would say that wouldn’t they? You know why? Because they would benefit from the significant reduction in the concession fee from 17 to 5 percent of betting stakes. Operated under the MyBet.com brand – JAXX would be among those standing to gain from this draft.
Nevertheless, even the revised draft does not meet the standards of European and constitutional law. The continuing restriction to an arbitrary 20 licences, the ban on online casino and poker games and the argument that the lottery monopoly can be justified by the need to combat addiction are attributes that have come in for stiff criticism from the EU Commission and the courts. The agreement is still subject to the reservations of individual states which expressed their misgivings about its compatibility with European law.
Jaxx Management Board spokesman, Mathias Dahms, said:
“The ban on casino and poker games will push more people towards the black market. Using the addiction prevention argument to justify the lottery monopoly will lead to a blanket ban on lottery advertising and consequently cause the collapse of German lottery companies. The main sticking points that the EU Commission severely criticised in its detailed statement of position were not addressed. We therefore expect to see the EU Commission launch fresh infringement proceedings.
“We stand by our view that the law already passed by Schleswig-Holstein is an exemplary, market-driven model that is compatible with European law. The bridge across which Prime Minister Beck hopes to entice Schleswig-Holstein’s Prime Minister Peter-Harry Carstensen would come crashing down after just a few steps.”
The next conference will take place in mid-December and it is here that the outstanding aspects are to be clarified. The almighty State Treaty on Gaming is to be signed at this time also.
