Online sports betting providers have long since discovered amateur sports for their purposes and are trying to lure players with betting offers. Players should be aware that sports betting on amateur sporting events is generally prohibited in Germany. ” This also means that players can reclaim their losses from online sports betting on amateur sports, as it constitutes illegal gambling ,” says lawyer István Cocron.
Online sports betting is a huge business – primarily for the organizers and less so for the players. Therefore, various betting providers have long since set their sights on amateur sports. The German ban on betting on amateur matches doesn’t deter them. The Bavarian Broadcasting Corporation (BR) has exposed, with its report “Attack on Amateur Football – The Greed of the Betting Industry,” how unscrupulously amateur sports are being exploited for illegal betting. ” At stake are not only the players’ stakes, but above all the integrity of amateur sports, which are naturally more susceptible to manipulation than well-paid professional athletes ,” says lawyer Cocron.
Clubs cannot take action against sports betting at amateur matches on their own. At most, they can issue a red card to representatives of the betting companies and deny them entry. However, this will not be enough. The sports ministers have also become aware of the problem and, at their conference in Munich on November 7th and 8th, 2024, called for stricter measures from the legislature.
The ban on betting in amateur sports must be tightened. The current problem is that while betting in amateur sports is not permitted, this ban only applies to players in Germany. If access restrictions can largely exclude these players from sports betting, the ban does not apply. However, such access restrictions can often be circumvented by players. Therefore, the Conference of Sports Ministers called for stricter legal regulations to better enforce the ban – to protect amateur sports from manipulation and ultimately to protect the players. Similarly, stricter scrutiny must be applied when awarding licenses to betting providers to ensure they do not offer betting in amateur sports.
“ If betting providers violate requirements associated with the granting of the license, such as adhering to a monthly deposit limit of 1,000 euros, players can demand reimbursement of their losses ,” said lawyer Cocron.
