Steve Hoare

Germany will implement a new oversight of the treatment of addiction and patient care, impacting all federal states and relevant authorities, including gambling oversight.

The Bundestag, Germany’s Federal Parliament, has confirmed the appointment of three new General Commissioners tasked with leading national strategies on addiction policy, recovery, and patient welfare.

Professor Dr Hendrik Streeck (CDU), a leading physician and Bundestag member, has been appointed as the Federal Government Commissioner for Addiction and Drug Issues. Further appointments include Katrin Staffler (CSU) as the new Federal Commissioner for Care, and Stefan Schwartze (SPD), who will continue his mandate as Commissioner for Patient Affairs.

The appointments were confirmed by the Federal Cabinet on 28 May 2025, following recommendations from Federal Health Minister Nina Warken. All three roles are embedded within the remit of the Federal Ministry of Health.

Policy reset to tame Länder frictions
The reshuffle signals a reorientation in how Germany addresses complex addiction challenges within its decentralised healthcare structure, where the Länder (states) hold autonomy.

Dr. Streeck succeeds former Federal Drug Commissioner Burkhard Blienert, who in 2023 submitted a recommendation to the Bundestag proposing that gambling advertising be regulated under the same restrictions as tobacco.

Blienert’s proposal drew criticism from the German Sports Betting Association (DSWV), which argued that such measures would unfairly stigmatise operators, and media of a regulated sector.

The appointment of a new “Drug Czar” is expected to shape future regulation and public health strategies across multiple sectors including gambling where authorities remain divided over the severity of risks and the strength of supporting research.

No Harmony on Gambling Addiction
German Stakeholders remain divided on the political fallout of the 2024 Federal Ministry of Health Report, which estimated that 1.3 million Germans suffer from gambling addiction — more than three times prior estimates.

Though intended as a call to action for public health, the report was widely criticised for its methodology and accused of inflating figures to support tighter controls.

Industry stakeholders and academics argued the findings blurred distinctions between recreational and problem gambling, fuelling political momentum for advertising restrictions and player spending caps.

Several Länder governments rejected the report’s implications, viewing it as an overstep by federal authorities into constitutionally reserved state powers under the 2021 State Treaty on Gambling (GlüStV).

Towards a Cooperative Platform
Katrin Staffler will now spearhead efforts to develop sustainable care infrastructure across all regions, while Stefan Schwartze continues to represent patient rights at the federal level — a role that has grown in prominence amid post-pandemic restructuring and increasing digitalisation in healthcare.

Together, the appointments represent a strategic realignment in German health policy, aiming for stronger integration between addiction treatment, care services, and patient advocacy. Their combined mandate is expected to drive national standards and policy coherence — while continuing to test the balance of power between federal leadership and regional autonomy.

Norway’s state operator, Norsk Tipping, has been approached by the national regulator, Lotteritilsynet, over a potential breach of underage policies.

In a letter dated 15 May, Anya Therese Markhus and Monica Alisøy Kjelsnes – two of Lotteritilsynet’s legal advisors – requested answers to a total of nine questions relating to a series of reported incidents where minors were found to be engaging with Norsk Tipping.

The gambling authority was tipped off by a bank that had noticed “a large total amount” being transferred from a bank account of a person under 18, which flowed into a customer account registered with Norsk Tipping over a period of one year.

While the Norsk Tipping account was not registered under the underage person’s name, the regulator deduced that this is most likely a case where someone has lent his gambling account details to the minor.

A definitive proof of that would not only lead to a termination of the player’s account for breaching Norsk Tipping’s customer relation policies, but it would also spell trouble for the state operator itself, potentially leading to Gambling Act and Money Laundering Act violations.

Norsk Tipping has now been given two weeks to answer a set of nine questions, which mostly focus on the operator’s financial risk checks and how it ensures that its customer policies are not being abused.

Until these are answered and the investigation continues, “it is too early to determine what has happened” according to Tore Bell, Department Director at the Norwegian Gambling Authority.

Potential outcomes
If and when wrongdoing has been found, however, Lotteritilsynet has several avenues to enforce regulatory action.

For one, albeit the lightest measure, the regulator can issue a formal order for Norsk Tipping to immediately correct the violation by strengthening its age verification policies.

Another procedure would involve the implementation of daily fines until all compliance shortfallings have been addressed and dealt with.

Moving into the more serious repercussions, Norsk Tipping may be given a significant financial sanction based on a percentage of its GGR if Lotteritilsynet determines that underage gambling has occurred as a result of negligence.

The most severe measure would be the suspension or revocation of Norsk Tipping’s license, although this is unlikely due to Norsk Tipping being a state-owned operator.

Regardless, if an underage gambling violation is eventually found, this would threaten the operator’s existence in other ways. Norsk Tipping’s future is already hanging by a thread, with increasing political pressure calling for its abolition in favour of a free licensing regime. A violation of such significance would only add more negative attention.

Award-winning responsible gambling initiative ‘Behind the Label’ is set to return to French broadcasting this spring.

France’s Gambling Authority l’Autorité Nationale des Jeux (ANJ) confirmed that the campaign has been re-commissioned to run ahead of France’s tennis grand slam event hosted in Paris, Roland Garros, from 25 May to 8 June.

Utilising lived experiences, the campaign looks to present the harsh realities of problem gambling and create a deeper understanding of the human consequences faced through gambling addiction.

‘Behind the Label’ plays on different phrases that are typically placed on gambling advertisements, bringing those phrases to life using lived experiences.

This aims to make the messaging resonate with audiences through a strategy that “becomes stronger and less theoretical”, as ANJ puts it. The regulator added that the aim is to explain that “two lines at the bottom of an ad will never be enough to tell the story of the spiral of sports betting addiction”.

The move follows recent research from the French Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction (OFDT), stating that over 1.17 million French citizens are problem gamblers.

Having been introduced during last year’s UEFA Euro Championships and the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, the ‘Behind the Label’ campaign aims to help the ANJ raise awareness of the risks of gambling harm.

Looking further into the statistics provided by OFDT, within the 1.17 million French problem gamblers, around 360,000 people gamble at an excessive level.

Sports betting was highlighted as a major risk for problem gamblers in France due to the rate of excessive gambling (5.9%) found to be six times higher than for lottery games.

As this year’s campaign has been launched to coincide with the Roland Garros tournament, ‘Behind the Label’ will present visuals and messaging tailored to connect with tennis fans.

Running across TV advertisements and multi-media platforms, the initiative will also encourage players to make use of safer gambling tools like Evalujeu.

Evalujeu operates as an online service that allows individuals concerned about their gambling activity to assess their gambling behaviour and access tailored advice to stay in control.

Re-launching ‘Behind the Label’ will allow the ANJ to continue prioritising its objective of achieving a “drastic reduction” in the proportion of excessive players within three years.

It is important to note that since early last year, all licensed online gambling operators in the country have been required to submit their marketing strategies to the ANJ every six months.

The rule was introduced to demystify the scale and content of gambling advertising and mitigate its influence on vulnerable individuals.

The Senate of Romania has opted to prolong plenary discussions on comprehensive gambling reforms sought by the Save Romania Union (USR) party.
The extension was granted by the Senate’s Legal Committee following the conclusion of the country’s rescheduled General Election on 18 May. The election had initially been annulled in November 2024 due to proven incidents of foreign interference.

Bucharest Mayor Nicușor Dan won the presidential vote as an independent candidate, running on an “Honest Romania” campaign to end the partisan instability of Romanian politics.
Sworn into office on 26 May as Romania’s head of state, Dan has yet to appoint his cabinet of senior ministers and a Prime Minister charged with coordinating the government’s affairs and legislative agenda.

Mirroring its political backdrop, Romania’s gambling sector is navigating a period of instability due to the National Gambling Office (ONJN) being marred by scandals involving mismanagement, opaque licensing practices, and a perceived lack of enforcement against non-compliant operators.
A headline infringement emerged following an audit of ONJN covering the period 2019 to 2023, which revealed significant regulatory failures that may have cost the Romanian state approximately €1bn in uncollected taxes and fees — a charge that ONJN denies.

Overhaul of oversight
The USR is leading calls for a root-and-branch overhaul of Romania’s gambling sector, proposing that interim regulatory control be transferred to the Ministry of Finance and the National Tax Administration Agency (ANAF).

Sanctioned by USR Senate leader Ciprian Rus, the party has introduced two distinct bills designed to reduce harm and modernise regulatory oversight.

Bill 1 seeks to simplify self-exclusion for Romanian citizens, requiring ONJN to provide a prominent opt-out button on its website. This would allow players to immediately block access to online gambling operators, replacing the outdated process involving in-person visits and handwritten forms. ONJN would also be required to publish real-time statistics on exclusion requests to improve transparency and public accountability.

Bill 2 proposes a “hard ceiling” on gambling spend, limiting consumer outlay to no more than 10% of an individual’s declared monthly income.
Enforcement would fall jointly on operators, financial institutions, and tax authorities — placing affordability checks and data-sharing firmly on the agenda.
However, USR has faced criticism for submitting Bill 2 without adequate consultation with relevant agencies regarding the technical feasibility of implementing such checks and expenditure caps.

USR: New Government Must Fix Regulatory Shortfalls
The party describes Romania’s gambling sector as “a social emergency”, plagued by lax controls, inconsistent enforcement, and escalating harm.

Civil society, addiction specialists and public health experts have echoed the call for urgent reform, including stronger marketing restrictions, parental controls, and automated exclusion mechanisms.

“The state has a duty to intervene when individual freedoms risk turning into personal disasters,” stated Ciprian Rus.
“The ONJN has failed in its basic duty to protect the public. It has become a passive observer in an industry rife with malpractice, lacking transparency, accountability, and the digital tools required for modern oversight. This is why urgent structural reform is no longer optional — it’s a necessity.”

Senate delays reform review
Despite rising public concern, reform momentum has slowed — at least temporarily. The Senate’s Legal Committee voted to extend debate on the self-exclusion bill from 45 to 60 days, citing legal complexities.

“We are dealing with two expressions of will: the initial act of self-exclusion, and a potential retraction of that decision,” noted Committee Chair Ion Rujan.
“These raise fundamental questions about legal reversibility. More time is needed for a proper assessment.”

A full Senate debate is scheduled for 10 June. If passed, the legislation will move to the Chamber of Deputies for final approval.

The proposed reforms carry significant enforcement measures. Operators would be required to report exclusion data to ONJN under tighter deadlines, refund deposits made after failed exclusions, and could face fines of up to 100,000 lei (€20,000 )or licence suspension for six months if found in breach.

ONJN begins new chapter
The delay follows Romania’s turbulent presidential election, which concluded with voters electing Nicușor Dan on an anti-corruption platform. With Dan yet to appoint a Prime Minister or form a cabinet, legislative progress across multiple fronts remains slow.

However, changes are already underway at ONJN, which begins a new chapter under the leadership of Vlad-Cristian Soare, appointed President of the National Gambling Office in April, succeeding Gheorghe Gabriel Gheorghe.
Soare’s appointment, formally communicated to Romanian authorities, comes at a critical moment as the regulator faces intense scrutiny for past failings, in which Soare has vowed to adopt a tougher enforcement agenda.

Taking leadership of ONJN, Soare acknowledged the political sensitivities surrounding the regulation of gambling in Romania:

“My political colour is decency. That’s what I told my colleagues. I think that, beyond the differences, we need to remember what unites us: honest work, professionalism, balance.”

Despite procedural delays, USR remains unwavering in its push for change – “This legislation must move forward to meet public expectations and reassert regulatory credibility,” a party spokesperson said.

“The gambling industry can no longer operate unchecked.”