With a player card into the casino – the new law on slot machines

It is no secret that online casinos are becoming increasingly popular. If you look at the latest developments around the gamer card that have found their way into traditional casinos. The new slot machine law came into effect on November 11, 2018.

Specifically, the new Gaming Ordinance 2018 means that all slot machines, and thus also new slot machines 2020, must be compatible with the player card. Even the term does not make you want to know what is behind it, after all, the words “game” and “regulation” don’t really go together. We took a look for you what the new Gaming Ordinance 2020 means in concrete terms and how this will change Germany’s gambling hall.

What exactly is the player card?

The new slot machine law means that slot machines will be equipped with Technical Guideline 5 . The modern TR5 machines can no longer be operated with real money, but with the player card. Accordingly, the players load their card instead of throwing real money into the slot.

The player card is intended to provide better player protection. It is also possible to only play on one machine, with the introduction of the new slot machines it is no longer possible to operate multiple slots.

What do the TR5 machines have to bring with them?

Slot machines in arcades or restaurants have to meet various guidelines. The new slot machine law is strict and includes various aspects that a slot must meet in order to be allowed to operate jackpotmobile:

    Maximum profits and losses must be visible

    Payout table must be available

    Machines must be checked every 24 months

    All wins, losses and bets must be documented

    Display in euros only

    Autoplay function is not allowed

    There is an automatic break after three hours

This shows that the new Gaming Ordinance 2018 ensures that gambling is to be regulated much more closely. It goes without saying that the player card is only given to adult players. This is also to prevent minors from participating in gambling.

60 euros loss and 400 euros profit per hour

As mentioned earlier, the game will automatically end after three hours. At the same time, there is a certain upper limit for slot fans in terms of profit. Only 400 euros can be won in one hour, and the player can lose a maximum of 60 euros. Otherwise the game will end automatically.

No more points and autoplay features

The new Gaming Ordinance 2020 also means that there is no longer an automatic button. With this button it was possible to make the bet without having to repeatedly press “Play”. This is now a thing of the past at the Spielhalle Deutschland.

The same goes for the points that slots often work with. Now only ads in euros are allowed. Even so, the player should have a better overview, which in turn should lead to better player protection. Whether the players are so happy with all the changes remains questionable.

No more progressive jackpots?

Another point that affects new slot machines in 2020 is that there should be no more jackpot slots. Fixed jackpots are still allowed, but the popular games with progressive jackpots have to give way now.

This also makes the new slot machine law extremely unattractive for many players. Jackpot slots have always been popular because they can win huge sums of money. Many slot fans love the special thrill that comes with these slot machines. Unfortunately, it can no longer be accessed in traditional casinos.

New slot machine law – what about data protection?

All details are not yet known. Due to data protection legislation, however, it can be assumed that players do not have to provide any personal details in order to receive the player card. Proof of age will probably still have to be present.

By and large, data protection is certainly little consolation for slot fans. With the personal data, the arcade operators would certainly have more of an opportunity to advertise special campaigns or to specifically assign bonus campaigns. Since this will not be possible, the players have no significant advantages – apart from the aforementioned data protection itself.

New gaming regulations 2020 and face recognition

Some time ago people talked about the introduction of face recognition everywhere. That should serve the player protection. In this way, bans and self-exclusions are much easier, but the reality shows: The project was implemented moderately or not at all.

The plan is still to advance facial recognition. The players then have to deal with an electronic bouncer who ensures law and order in the arcade. Anyone who is not allowed to enter the game library is immediately recognized by the system. Access will then be denied.

This also raises the question of whether face recognition collides with data protection. Unless data is collected, everything would be fine. But it would also be conceivable that the customer data is collected. It has long been similar in online casinos, in which no action goes undetected. However, if facial recognition is only used for player protection, we are convinced that this system is an extremely good idea for protecting players.

Is the player card the only option?

At the moment, it seems that there is no alternative to player cards. Politicians are reacting slowly, as always, and illegal machines are still a problem and can still be found in many institutions.

For example, we could imagine introducing a blocking file. This has also been discussed several times. This would have the advantage that gambling addicts could simply be registered there. This would also guarantee player protection, since endangered players are forbidden from entering. In addition, the age check is still important, but this takes place in most institutions anyway.