Hesse Ministry faces further criticism as Sports Advisory Board withdraws from licensing procedure

Progress on Germany’s sports betting licensing procedure by the Hesse Ministry of the Interior and Sports (HMDIS) has taken a further step back as The German Sports Advisory Board (SAB) declared that it had withdrawn from discussions with the regulator.

The advisory board which represents the interests of several German sporting bodies including the country’s Olympic Committee and the Bundesliga withdrew from licensing procedure discussions stating that its interests and warnings to the regulator were not being heard. SAB further stated that German sports betting licensing was becoming an onerous task with a long and drawn-out process which continues to see multiple delays.

Throughout its participation in regulatory discussions, SAB had urged the Hesse Ministry to repeal its limitation of granting 20 sports betting licences under the German Interstate Treaty.

The ministry’s licensing actions were criticised by a number of betting firms and industry bodies, who stated that its regulations were violating European Union competition and trade laws.

After several months trying to repeal the Hesse Ministry’s licensing condition, SAB announced that it would no longer participate in discussions with regulator. Industry body the German Sports Betting Association (DSWV) backed the actions taken by SAB, stating that sports betting licensing framework needed to be reformed urgently.

The news SAB’s withdrawal from discussions has been met with further criticism of the Hesse Ministry procedure by the Administrative Court of Hessen who were displeased by the lack of progress on the matter and the controversy the ministry had caused among numerous stakeholders.