The German Sports Betting Association (DSWV) highlighted a problem gambling prevalence survey from 2021 that indicated an increase in problem gamblers in Germany, reaching 1.4 million. This surge occurred in the same year that the gambling market underwent regulation under the 2021 State Treaty on Gambling. The DSWV challenges the claim that re-regulation caused this rise in gambling harms, stating that it is not a definitive conclusion drawn from the survey data.
The DSWV argues that the reported increase in problem gambling numbers does not truly reflect a rise in actual problem gambling cases. Instead, it attributes the change to alterations in the methodology used to track prevalence. Prior to 2021, the Federal Centre for Health Education (BZgA) conducted the survey, which generally showed either stable or slightly declining problem gambling figures. However, the Institute for Interdisciplinary Addiction and Drug Research (ISD) took over data collection in 2021, bringing about a “methodological reboot.” This new approach of gathering data makes it impossible to compare with the previous year’s data. Notably, the 2021 report utilized both online and telephone surveys, while the 2020 study only used phone surveys.
The DSWV emphasizes the importance of a data-driven and fact-based discussion on this issue. DSWV president Mathias Dahms states that the evaluation of the State Treaty, planned for late 2026, should consider the experiences of all stakeholders. This comprehensive approach will allow the knowledge gained to facilitate constructive cooperation among stakeholders for the benefit of customers. Dahms further asserts that effective player and youth protection is achieved by redirecting individuals towards licensed providers in the legal market.
This is not the first time the DSWV has criticized the misuse of statistics to support anti-gambling arguments. In June, the organization called out the German addiction association Deutsche Hauptstelle für Suchtfragen (DHS) for utilizing flawed figures in its 2023 Yearbook of Addiction. The DSWV points out that the DHS based its data on affiliate marketing sites rather than academic or governmental sources.
