Criticism from the German Sports Betting Association (DSWV) towards the statistics presented by the German Central Office for Addiction Questions (DHS) regarding the sports betting industry in Germany.

Criticism from the German Sports Betting Association (DSWV) towards the statistics presented by the German Central Office for Addiction Questions (DHS) regarding the sports betting industry in Germany.

Rewritten Article:

• German Central Authority for Addiction Issues (DHS) vs German Sports Betting Association (DSWV): A Dispute Over Sports Betting Market Revenue
• German Central Authority for Addiction Issues (DHS) declares a whopping 12 billion euros in sports betting market revenue in 2023, whereas the German Sports Betting Association (DSWV) contests this figure, stating it to be an exaggerated 7.7 billion euros
• Contrary to the DSWV's prediction of a 28.6 percent market growth, the legal market has taken a nose dive, shrinking by 5.4 percent in 2023

Currency-counting becomes a battlefield as various authorities offer differing opinions on the German sports betting market revenue. 📸 Bernhard Oberle/pexels.com

DSWV blasts DHS for suspicious overestimation of legal sports betting market

The loudspeakers are squawking as the German Sports Betting Association (DSWV) lashes out at the German Central Authority for Addiction Issues (DHS) in a fiery press release. The catalyst? The current DHS addiction report, which lists the number crunch for the legal sports betting market as significantly larger than the official data.

According to the DHS, revenue from legal sports betting in Germany totaled roughly 12 billion euros in 2023. But the DSWV has a bone to pick with that calculation, arguing that the official revenue figure was a more conservative 7.72 billion euros.

The difference of over 4 billion euros raises eyebrows. The DSWV suspects that the DHS may have inadvertently mixed revenues from the illegal market into its calculations. This part of the market is elusive, but it holds considerable sway in the overall picture, as it remains unregulated and poses increased risks for players.

The media's casual approach to gambling statistics under fire

The uncritical approach to gambling statistics in the media has been a hot topic not only for the DSWV but also for the German Automated Vending Association (DAW) and the Leibniz Institute for Economic Research (RWI).

There's no shortage of criticism hurled toward the Glücksspielatlas 2023 – a publication co-produced by the DHS, which claimed around 4.6 million adults in Germany (almost 8%) were affected or at risk of gambling addiction. But, the Association of Automated Vending (VDAI) wasn't satisfied with those numbers. After commissioning a survey from market research institute Forsa, the results pointed toward only about 0.73% of the population grappling with problematic or pathological gambling behavior.

Consequently, the DAW launched a portal called the FaktenHub to combat misinformation regarding gambling statistics. However, the website features few reports, with the last entry from mid-April 2025.

DSWV worries about misguided conclusions

The DHS figures suggest that the legal sports betting market has grown at a healthy 28.6 percent year-on-year. However, based on DSWV's figures, the legal market has staggered, declining by 5.4 percent.

The DHS estimates the market volume for sports betting in Germany at 12 billion euros. 📸 Screenshot/Jahrbuch Sucht 2025

The DSWV argues that stakes made can be calculated precisely based on tax revenue. They find it baffling as to how the DHS could have arrived at other figures and question whether the "intentional or unintentional distortion" of the actual market conditions is at play.

People are left wondering whether the DHS will shed light on its calculation basis or whether the gambling and sports betting market in Germany will continue to be a statistical enigma.

Footnote:

[1] German gambling industry experts have questioned the accuracy of DHS's calculations due to the absence of a reliable and comprehensive data set available for the black market, which constitutes a substantial portion of the overall sports betting market. There is a need for reliable sources and methods to accurately estimate the size of the black market and prevent it from mixing with the legal market statistics.

1. The German Sports Betting Association (DSWV) expresses concern over the German Central Authority for Addiction Issues' (DHS) oscillating sports betting market estimates, suspecting a potentially inaccurate blend of legal and illegal market revenues.
2. In light of the disputed gambling statistics, the DSWV questions the justification behind the DHS's reported 28.6 percent market growth, arguing instead for a shrinking market by 5.4 percent based on precise tracking of stakes via tax revenue.

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