Court ruling to end German lottery monopolies

The Administrative Court of Munich ruled against state lottery monopolies and branded them as unlawful.

Germany.- A complaint filed by a Bavarian firm against state lottery monopolies has been upheld by the Administrative Court of Munich. The decision determined that said monopolies are unlawful and that the state’s intention to retain it goes against Article 56 of the Treaty of the Functioning of the European Union (TFEU), which foresees gambling monopolies only under certain conditions.

The plaintiff is an undisclosed operator which wanted to operate a lottery in the administrative district of Upper Palatinate. According to its attorney, Martin Arendts, the Bavarian Ministry of the Interior determined the operator wasn’t qualified to operate a lottery in the state even after they filed several revised applications to comply with the authorities’ demands.

Germany is set to approve the Interstate Treaty on Gambling next February and it will -most likely- include provisions for private lottery operators after several attempts by companies to get involved. Major operators like Lottoland and Zeal praised the court’s ruling and proved state lottery monopolies as an issue to address.