German special interest groups, politicians, and the body representing land-based casinos have been accused of spreading fake news regarding gambling advertising.

It follows a gambling advertising agreement being reached in Schleswig-Holstein, between the German state’s Ministry of the Interior and two major unions; the German Advertising Federation (ZAW), and German Association for Telecommunications and Media (DVTM).

The new agreement provides for a self-regulation model that will allow licensed online casino operators to proportionately advertise on nationwide free-to-air television broadcasts. TV advertising minutes would be limited to 17,000 per month across all providers – of which there are 11 licensed in Schleswig-Holstein.

However, the DMTV, which represented eight of those operators, has said special interest groups, including political parties and the Automantenwirtschaft, a body representing land-based casinos, have been spreading “fake news” to give the impression that there has been a “massive increase in gambling advertising.” 

This has fueled criticism of gambling advertising in Germany, with the DMTV saying the fake news had “taken root” in the minds of politicians, convincing them that gambling advertising has become problematic. 

To try and correct the misinformation, the DMTV has invited critics to check “neutral data” for themselves, with DVTM chairman, Renatus Zilles, saying:

“Finding pragmatic, responsible solutions together instead of fighting each other is the mission statement of our association. The solution now presented could serve as a model for the regulation of advertising in the future State Treaty on Gambling”.

AYO.NEWS says:

Fake news is becoming a particular problem in the gambling industry in several other European countries too, notably the UK and Sweden, where just as in Germany, special interest groups and certain politicians are peddling lies and misrepresenting data to convince voters and other politicians that there is a “gambling crisis.”

Just last month, Swedish Minister for Public Administration, Ardalan Shekarabi, was accused of lying about an increase in online gambling during the COVID-19 crisis, in an attempt to drum up support for his draconian new restrictions on the industry. 

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