Buchmacher Erlaubnis

• Implementing Ordinance to the Racing Betting and Lotteries Act (RennwLottDV) § 3 - Requirements for the granting of a license
• Implementing Ordinance to the Racing Betting and Lotteries Act (RennwLottDV) Section 5 - Special provisions for bookmakers
• State Treaty on Gambling (GlüStV)
• Saarland Act on the Implementation of the State Treaty on the New Regulation of Gambling in Germany (AG GlüStV 2021-Saar)

Anyone who bookmaker who wishes to place or broker bets on public horse races requires a license.

If you want to place or broker bets on public horse races on a commercial basis as a bookmaker, you need a license.

The license is issued for

• the location where the bets are accepted or brokered,
• you as the responsible bookmaker and
• the persons who you use to place and broker the bets.

The license may be granted subject to time limits and conditions. A security deposit must also be provided.

Bookmakers may conclude betting contracts independently in their own name and for their own account at public performance tests for horses (e.g. horse races) or broker betting contracts for a totalizator or another bookmaker or conclude betting contracts in their own name but for the account of a third party.

The bets must be offered at fixed odds at the racecourse for the races taking place on the race day. Otherwise, the bookmaker is free to offer the bets at the totalisator price. As a bookmaker, you can be represented by employees (bookmaker's assistants) when brokering and concluding horse bets.

As bookmakers, they guarantee the payment of winnings. The portion of the betting income that is not paid out as winnings remains with the bookmaker, less taxes, as a profit margin.

• Police clearance certificate (OG) for submission to an authority in accordance with Section 30 (5) BZRG (not older than three months) from the acting person(s)
• Extract from the central trade register for submission to an authority in accordance with Section 150 (5) GewO
• Copy of identity card (front and back with clearly recognizable picture)
• Proof of at least two years of practical experience in the bookmaking industry as a bookmaker's assistant to a licensed bookmaker. The applicant may also provide proof of professional aptitude in another way; in this case, a statement from the German Bookmakers' Association must be obtained.
• Proof of equity capital or working capital in the amount of 25,000 euros. The applicant must prove that this is not partly borrowed money or capital from a third-party partnership.
• Floor plan of the betting shop and a copy of the rental agreement (proof of ownership, if applicable) for this business premises.
• Clearance certificate from the tax office and building inspectorate
• Certificate of exemption from tax debts ("certificate in tax matters")
• Extract from the debtor register
• Proof of expertise
• Rental agreement, site plan and floor plan for the location where the bookmaking business is to be carried out as well as details of other commercial activities that may be carried out at this location
• List of totalizers and bookmakers to whom bookmaking services will be provided
• Decision-relevant information on the organization of horse betting (what is organized by whom, what types of bets are offered, betting program, limits)
• When applying for an extension of the license: List of turnover from the last three years
• Proof of security provided
• Social concept, description of how the protection of minors is to be ensured
• Terms of participation and general terms and conditions
• For companies: Extract from the commercial register and articles of association

Both natural and legal persons under private law (e.g. limited liability companies, associations, registered cooperatives, foundations) may be granted a license.

• Compliance with the objectives of the Interstate Treaty on Gambling: Organizing or brokering gambling (horse betting) does not run counter to the defined objectives of the Interstate Treaty on Gambling.
• Proper management: You must be personally reliable and provide the necessary proof (e.g. information from the certificate of good conduct, central trade register, insolvency register, debtor register, ...).
• Specialist knowledge and commercial aptitude for the bookmaking trade: You must have the relevant specialist skills and experience and, in particular, the necessary commercial knowledge to be able to carry out the specific activities of the bookmaking trade independently. In the case of legal entities, proof must be provided by the legal representative.

• Deposit of security: The security deposit is liable for tax claims of the state plus interest, fines and penalties, as well as the costs of criminal and fine proceedings and the bettors due to their claims arising from the betting business. The amount of the security deposit is determined in the license notice. It is based on the presumed scope of the bookmaking business and the amount of the expected liabilities and can be increased or reduced by the authority at any time.

The fees for the licensing of a bookmaker are between 200 euros and 1,900 euros.

The fees for the authorization of a bookmaker's assistant are between 80 and 500 euros.

For further fees, please refer to the General List of Fees.

You will receive a fee notice.

The administrative fees are set in accordance with the Act on the Levying of Administrative and User Fees in Saarland (SaarlGebG) in conjunction with the Ordinance on the Issuance of a General List of Fees and the General List of Fees (GebVerz) (here: Section 211).

• You apply for a bookmaker's license from the competent authority.
• Your application will be reviewed by the competent authority.
• If there are no grounds for refusal and you meet all the requirements, you will receive a permit, a fee notice and a security deposit after the procedure has been completed.

The permit can be issued with a time limit or a reservation of revocation or with a condition or a reservation of subsequent inclusion, amendment or addition of a condition. It can also be limited to individual events.

Applications for extension must be submitted to the competent authority at least 3 months before the end of the licensed calendar year.

An application for a bookmaker's assistant's license can be submitted at the same time as the initial application for a bookmaker's license. The necessary documents for the assistant must also be submitted with this application.

The business premises (colloquially also referred to as a "betting office") in which the bookmaker or his bookmaker's assistants exercise the bookmaking trade must be a closed room which may not be connected to rooms for which a liquor license exists.

The business premises must be externally identifiable by a company sign bearing the first name and surname of the bookmaker and the addition "Officially licensed bookmaker" (and, if applicable, the further addition "Extension").

The license may be granted subject to time limits, conditions and a reserved right of revocation. It can also be limited to individual events.

Anyone who places or arranges bets commercially without a license is liable to a prison sentence of up to two years or a fine.

Please note that you must comply with the obligations of the State Treaty on Gambling when operating as a bookmaker. These are regulated in particular in Sections 1 to 3, 4 (3) and (4), Sections 5 to 7 and Section 27 of the Interstate Treaty on Gambling (see "Legal bases")

Validity: up to three years

You will find information on the legal remedy in the notification.

Applying for a bookmaker's license

• Anyone wishing to place or broker bets on public horse races on a commercial basis as a bookmaker requires a license.
• To obtain a license, an application must be submitted to the competent authority.
• The permit is issued for the location where bets are accepted or brokered and for the persons who accept or broker bets
• The permit may be issued with time limits and conditions and may be revoked.

• Responsible authority: Ministry of Economic Affairs, Innovation, Digital and Energy, Department B/2

Ministry of Economic Affairs, Innovation, Digital and Energy

Department B/2

Franz-Josef-Röder-Straße 17

66119 Saarbrücken