Good thing for German people i hope government strictly monitor Platforms and the people who running it.
228
conmeonemo5 days ago
+58
In Poland ISPs block websites that are included on the list. This also includes stuff like Polymarket, which is illegal in Poland, and even using it when you are in Poland is a crime.
58
NXCW5 days ago
+11
I’m Polish, and have never heard of polymarket. What is it?
11
hikingsticks5 days ago
+26
À website that lets you berry crypto on certain events happening. The counterparty is other users not the website. They just facilitate. Eg snow is April, USA invading Iran, etc. Trump's lot keep using it with insider information, so he'll decide to do X, then bet massively on it happening, then announce it publicly and do it, then collect huge winnings. Rinse and repeat.
26
NXCW5 days ago
+4
Huh. And it’s illegal to access and use it? Wouldn’t the provider be responsible, and not the user?
4
hikingsticks5 days ago
+13
Of the provider isn't in Poland or makes enforcement very difficult. You can make ISPs block access, but people can still use it with VPNs. So another step to reduce usage is to make the usage illegal since the people using it that you want to prevent areas in Poland and under your jurisdiction.
It's practicality rather than principle.
13
conmeonemo5 days ago
+6
Usage of illegal gambling was pretty much always a crime in Poland. Cases happen regularly - once for work I needed to dig into it, and there was a lot of "casual gamblers" using well known EU websites which didn't geo-block Polish users that were prosecuted. Unless bookie used loophole that was in place in 2010-2015, then users got conviction.
For traditional bookies, the main factor limiting usage of illegal ones was the guidance that told the Polish banks/payment providers to block transfers with illegal companies - that was enough to discourage most of casual users as alternative options are too much of a hassle.
Same for website banning - it's annoying enough to discourage most of casuals.
6
NXCW5 days ago
Got it. But it makes me wonder - if we can access the site, how are we supposed to know the usage of a website is illegal for us? Some people just leave VPN on all the time.
0
hikingsticks5 days ago
+3
There's no guaranteed way to know, but I would hope that before engaging in financial interactions with a company people would do basic searches on that company etc, and would come across the information that way.
Try searching in Polish for polymarket reviews, reliability, something like that, and see what comes up. Also the news tab.
3
BoldestKobold5 days ago
+1
Same way you know that when you friend asks you to hold their narcotics for them that you know it is illegal. Most legal systems presume people know the law, and prosecutors generally don't have to prove whether you knew you were breaking the law or not.
1
NXCW5 days ago
+1
We can’t possibly know all of the websites out there, and their legal status. That’s absurd.
1
PlushHammerPony5 days ago
+5
A 'prediction market' - you bet on outcomes of everything: from presidential elections to which celebrity wins an Oscar.
5
Ivanow5 days ago
+4
It's newest tech bro's example of "disturbing" traditional businesses by skirting regulations (see AirBnB and hotels, Uber and taxi...).
Now it's time to "revolutionize" gambling/sportsbooking - they use legal language of futures contracts to insist that your position of "W***** of Hawks vs Knicks NBA 20th April 2026 match" isn't really gambling, as defined by State laws...
4
conmeonemo5 days ago
+2
It's really jurisdiction dependent though. Many jurisdictions have outdated gambling definitions - those regulations were mostly created for taxation purposes and pretty much there are 4 categories of regimes:
1. Outdated ones, which were created with brick and mortar businesses in mind. They either allow online gambling (if assumption is whatever is not regulated is legal) or ban it (it the assumption is that only permitted gambling activity is legal).
2. Outdated regulations that focus too much on a thing of value in winnings definition so they miss certain modern gambling versions where you don't win cash right away.
3. Modern regulations that covered 2-3, but totally lag on customer protections.
4. Regulations in countries where pretty much they recognize consumers needs to protected and try to civilize business.
US usually falls in 1-2, as the states legislatures are slow to change laws.
2
Ivanow5 days ago
+1
States have gambling laws (20+ are currently suing Polymarket for breaching them).
Polymarket insists that they don't fall under those, but rather under Federal oversight, and that "W***** of Superbowl 2026" is the same futures contract as turnips, and should be regulated by them instead...
1
blackjacktrial5 days ago
+1
Turnips futures are also gambling, but the intention is different.
Perhaps the laws need to focus on covered bets (ie. where the intention is to move risk between parties by locking in a price now rather than waiting until settlement day) against uncovered bets (where neither party can associate another transaction with the prediction - a naked speculation).
The focus then goes away from the nature of the prediction itself as a gamble (all insurance is a gamble by nature too!), to whether the bet acts as a mitigant of risk for a party (in which case it becomes insurance to that party), or an adoption of risk (which becomes a naked gamble for that party.)
If naked gambles are outlawed in a jurisdiction, the expectation would be that the market provider needs to verify that a risk is being mitigated by any parties utilising the platform in that jurisdiction. So you could have insurance offered by a party in an unregulated territory, to an insuree in a regulated one, but not the other way around.
1
conmeonemo5 days ago
+1
It's so called prediction market (aka just betting, but without bookie, just against other users with the platform as intermediary).
In Poland you need to have local gambling license (or representative) to operate legally, and both operating in Poland illegally and playing at illegal website...is a crime.
To limit illegal gambling which was a plague (as we f..d up legislation in 2010-2015 or so), the government introduced "banned websites register". Legal companies pretty much report any illegal website, ministry enters it into register, ISPs block it.
1
keylu5 days ago
+7
Haha, nah. Gambling is everywhere and nobody does anything against it. Ads, placements and sponsorships everywhere and the majority targets underage kids.
Doesn't matter if it's in online games, YouTube ads or huge official Sports events.
It's a disgrace
7
International-Mix6335 days ago
+2
USA is not the world. While German has not the strictest gambling regime control in the world, there are other countries who straight up ban most casinos. You can still circumvent most bans using VPN though.
2
ryo30004 days ago
+1
You're commenting how "nobody does anything" in news about people literally doing something about it?
1
alelo5 days ago
+2
austria - 1 step ahead, you can only offer casinos - offline or online with an austrian license, getting that is nearly impossible- so these sites that offer casinos act illegal which offers a nice cheat for austrian gamblers if you win you can get the pay out, but if you lose you can force a refund because they offered an illegal service to you (iirc there were cases that went to trial and the casinos always lost)
2
PixelEnjoyer5 days ago
+2
While this is true the problem is that these Casinos never paid a penny to them because they simply did not care and there is no cross border legislation for it.
So while in theory true, in practice it is not applicable
2
Ragnarawr4 days ago
+2
I was going to say, those gamblers didn’t see a penny refunded to them.
2
umataro5 days ago
+1
It is not that difficult to obtain a licence if you have a few lawyers, enough capital and a semi competent development team (to comply with all regulatory demands). It takes a bit of time as well, so only well funded amoral companies do it.
From the bottom of my heart, I send a "Big ***k you!" to tipico and all the companies they keep buying to own the market.
1
Tyxzs5 days ago
+1
The best thing about the current ruling is, that anyone from Germany who lost money at a fobidden gambling site can get their money back.
1
thejodiefostermuseum5 days ago
+1
Russians? Or Russians who bought an EU passport through Malta? And everyone knows it?
1
reeporter5 days ago
+1
Haha bavaria has since 2024 its own Online-c*****. So
1
ZuAusHierDa5 days ago
+2
Huh? I thought only Schleswig-Holstein is allowed to have these?
No that's not their job, either we accept the European Union or also companies should go back to having to pay tolls.
We customers have the right to pick the cheapest service, a license within the EU shall be good enough for all EU countries.
They only want to make their money from their gambling companies... This is anti-competive. Imaging we do the same with cars: sorry french cars are forbidden here!
-5
WIZZZARDOFFREESTYLE5 days ago
-5
How is this good thing? What if its my hobby
-5
pongomanswe5 days ago
+84
Online gambling is quite predatory. Instances where online casinos har actively sought out obvious gambling addicts to encourage them to came back (with bonuses and even free travel etc) are legion.
84
PetyrDayne5 days ago
+6
I'm glad For Honor is my only addiction because if it were gambling I'd probably be in debt or sporting a fine pair of cement shoes depending on the state.
6
btstfn5 days ago
+2
Gambling in general is predatory.
2
pongomanswe5 days ago
+2
Yeah, sure, but physical casinos don’t generally reach you through you phone or computer to the same extent, with constant emails
2
ICEGRILLZ6665 days ago
+2
That’s standard practice
2
0b1w4hn5 days ago
+8
Please ban also the commercials! When you turn on german TV in the night this brainwashing gambling propaganda is everywhere.
8
conmeonemo5 days ago
+16
It's nothing new. Gambling was never harmonized - you can provide services as long you'll meet local requirements, and those shouldn't be discriminatory. There's no passporting here on EU level.
16
Lamuks5 days ago
+10
Why wouldn't it? Most or many European countries with strict gambling laws require _local_ licenses. It's a normal practice.
10
streetmagix5 days ago
+20
Because of the EU Common Market. The default is that you CAN run something from Malta to everywhere in the EU based on a Malta license, but they've confirmed that local laws (on gambling for instance) can supersede that.
20
mcpingvin5 days ago
+4
Common market, except for digital goods, banking services, mobile services...
4
streetmagix5 days ago
+2
Yes there are exeptions, but Gambling is always in a grey area in regards to it. Some counteries don't mind it being licensed elsewhere and some do.
2
ZuAusHierDa5 days ago
+1
What do you mean with digital goods?
1
mcpingvin5 days ago
+2
For an example, Netflix library isn't the same in Germany and Croatia.
2
ZuAusHierDa5 days ago
+1
Ok, but that’s the decision of Netflix and not a national law.
1
xX609s-hartXx5 days ago
+1
Isn't it about national licenses and contracts within entertainment industries?
1
mcpingvin5 days ago
+2
Well it defeats the purpose of the single market then, doesn't it?
2
ZuAusHierDa5 days ago
You are not forced to offer your products or your service everywhere in the EU. But if you want to it should be without legal obstacles.
0
mcpingvin5 days ago
+1
Okay, now follow this train of though...
You do offer services in multiple EU countries. By your own free choice as a company. Why that service shouldn't be the same in different countries?
One of our [MEPs](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biljana_Borzan#Member_of_the_European_Parliament,_2013%E2%80%93present) fought a long battle to force companies to offer the same goods, since we got worse version of Nutella and washing powder in the east for the last 30+ years.
1
ZuAusHierDa4 days ago
I really don’t get it.
Why have you bought these shitty products?
0
Cirenione5 days ago
+1
Which is licensing and not EU regulation.
1
mcpingvin5 days ago
Well it defeats the purpose of the single market then, doesn't it?
0
Cirenione5 days ago
+1
No, because these are two unrelated things. Single market regulation is a legal framework allowing for trade within the EU. Licensing agreements are private companies deciding what they want to "buy and sell".
1
mcpingvin5 days ago
+1
> The single market seeks to guarantee the free movement of goods, capital, services, and people, known collectively as the four freedoms of the European Union.
Great to have the legal framework that guarantees it, but private companies don't need to use it if they don't like it (because smaller profits).
1
Cirenione5 days ago
Yes, companies are free to do business where they want. The same way nobody is forcing you to move to another country within the EU and work there just because you can do so without a visa.
0
Rootspam5 days ago
+5
How about just finish the job and ban all gambling!
5
waldito5 days ago
+14
That will result in 7 billion euros less in tax collection per year, and players flocking to unregulated markets where there is no obligation for self regulating limits, money laundering controls, monitoring or any sort of shady tweaks potentially moving billions of german money into way darker places.
It's like prohibiting alcohol. People will do it regardless.
So might as well make a buck and use it for .. whatever the party in control decides. Nuclear? Roads? Addictions? Social services?
14
RuckFulesxx5 days ago
+1
While measurements regarding the points you mentioned should be in place, they barely work properly IMO.
Deposit limits are easily overridden, to my knowledge the gambling authority doesn´t care about player disputes but only about if the sites stick to the rules, and when you deposit or withdraw money you need the same (sometimes even less) documents than on sites licensed in other markets. Top that off with spin limits that make it so unattractive that those that wanna play big will probably still switch to the illegal options.
In the end it seems to be all solely about the tax money.
1
waldito5 days ago
+3
You are sadly right. Almost every nation in Europe applied 'the recommended European gambling framework' to tap into those billions.
3
xX609s-hartXx5 days ago
The thing is you can do this shit on your phone whenever you want. I doubt most of those gambling people will find their way into dark alleys to bet on dog fights instead.
0
WIZZZARDOFFREESTYLE5 days ago
-24
OMG DAFUCK IS THERE PROBLEM
some ppl really like to play its hobby ok?????
-24
Cirenione5 days ago
+2
Even the smallest town usually has a licensed c***** for s*** machines. Nobody is stopping you from getting up and going to the next one. Those gambling sites licensed in Malta are basically illegal gambling rooms bribing Malta for some legitimacy and using loop holes in EU regulation to get access to the German market.
So there are still enough legit companies letting you gamble in person or online.
65 Comments