Germany’s latest report on gambling revealed that a substantial number of people who gamble on slot machines are struggling with gambling-related harm. This new report, titled “Gambling Atlas Germany 2023: Numbers, Data, Facts,” represents the first scientific attempt to gauge the extent of problem gambling in the country.
The study analyzed data from a 2021 survey on gambling in Germany, which coincided with the enactment of the Fourth State Treaty on Gambling (GlüNeuRStv) and the establishment of a new regulator, the Gemeinsamen Glücksspielbehörde der Länder. The report found that the launch of the legal online casino market in July 2021 has raised concerns about the prevalence of problem gambling, particularly in the online casino sector.
The study revealed that online casinos pose the highest risk for problem gambling, with 46% of men and 35% of women participating in these high-risk games on a weekly or daily basis. Moreover, the report found that 40% of slot machine players in Germany are at risk of experiencing gambling-related harm.
These findings were based on research from the Institute for Interdisciplinary Addiction and Drug Research of ISD Hamburg and the Gambling Research Unit at the University of Bremen. Burkhard Blienert, Federal Government Commissioner for Addiction and Drug Issues, stressed the need for greater protections against slot machines and online gaming to address these concerning trends.
The “Gambling Atlas Germany 2023” report revealed that 2.3% of Germany’s population between the ages of 18 and 70, equivalent to 1.3 million people, suffer from gambling harm. Additionally, 5.7% exhibit risky behavior associated with a gambling disorder. Overall, 30% of the total population in Germany participated in gambling activities in 2021.
The study also showed that the popularity of different gambling activities varied, with Lotto 6aus49 being the most popular game, attracting 19% of the population. The report also highlighted a decline in gambling participation from 55% in 2007 to 38% in 2019, with the widest gender participation gap observed in the 21 to 25 age group.
Ultimately, the report shed light on the prevalence of gambling-related harm in Germany and emphasized the need for regulatory measures to address the risks associated with both traditional slot machines and online gambling.