A study in Germany that claims that the gambling addiction rates have tripled in five years is coming under scrutiny. [Image: Shutterstock.com]

A worrying rise

A new study in Germany looking at gambling trends in the country has presented some worrying findings. The Federal Ministry of Health (BMG) carried out the research, which concluded that addiction rates have tripled from 400,000 to 1.3 million people over the past five years.

8% of people within the 18 to 70 age range now display problematic gambling behavior

The report considered both land-based and online gambling in the country and researchers estimate that 8% of people within the 18 to 70 age range now display problematic gambling behavior.

Not everyone is convinced about the accuracy of the findings, however. The German Sports Betting Association (GSBA) – which represents the interests of operators in the nation – has claimed that opposition lawmakers and various gambling industry experts believe the study has flaws.

Questions that need answering

The GSBA questioned the survey’s scientific quality and the BMG’s motives, claiming the BMG had the results ready to go just three months after the University of Bremen and the Hamburg ITS applied for the contract. The two organizations received €134,240 ($145,711) in funding, which is just below the €140,000 ($151,964) threshold that requires a tender process.

The Christian Democratic Party’s addiction expert Simone Borchardt believes “there is reason to suspect that agreements were made in advance between the study authors and the BMG.” She thinks that this puts the study’s results in doubt due to neutrality concerns.

The University of Bremen’s head Tobias Hayer was part of a scandal regarding the tender process for an evaluation of the German State Treaty on Gambling in 2021.

Unreliable results

The researchers did not provide a reason for the significant uptick in addiction rates despite turnover in the sector remaining relatively steady during the five-year period. Statistician Katharina Schüller doesn’t believe that this survey is a reliable base for making decisions over legal regulations due to its “questionable precision and lack of transparency.”

wants to implement a ban on sports betting ads before 11pm

Nevertheless, some people in power are pushing stricter controls over the gambling sector, pointing towards skyrocketing addiction rates. Germany’s addiction minister Burkhard Blienert, for instance, warned the country’s interior and justice ministers in December that gambling is getting out of control. He wants to implement a ban on sports betting ads before 11pm and take more drastic action against illegal operators.