German Gambling Self-Exclusion Scheme OASIS

German gambling law recently went through a complete overhaul, legalizing online gambling under the regulations of the new Interstate Treaty on Online Gambling (GlüStV) in July 2021. This process was followed by the creation and launch of OASIS – the player self-exclusion system – in August 2021. According to the regulations of the GlüStV 2021, every online gambling operator in Germany has been officially asked to connect to the OASIS, and since then, it has been a topic of much-heated debate because of its uncertain and somewhat problematic nature.

It’s been two and a half years since the launch of OASIS – Germany’s self-exclusion scheme, and up until January 2023, there have been absolutely no updates. Thus, one may wonder – what exactly is OASIS, what does it do, and how does it work?

First things first, let’s briefly mention the impact of the GlüStV 2021 on the German gambling market. The GlüStV 2021 came into force with numerous laws, regulations, restrictions, and taxation, causing heated and controversial discussions among industry experts as well as local players. These regulations include taxes on winnings, limits on betting amounts, and restrictions on the types of games that can be offered. These changes have led many German players to seek alternative options, such as offshore online casinos.

One of the most essential parts of the GlüStV 2021 is the OASIS Sperre, also known as “German Gamstop” which limits players’ access to online gambling for specific periods of time. Once a German punter is enrolled in the OASIS player ban lock file, they become a part of the OASIS system until the agreed-upon self-exclusion period is over. Additionally, German online casinos (licensed under the local regulator) have the right to maintain players’ ban indefinitely if they have a reason to believe that these players have a gambling addiction.

Though OASIS is a self-exclusion system, serving the purpose of limiting gambling addiction and helping players avoid gambling-related complications, there are some who think that it is excessive and somewhat punitive. As with all things in life, the OASIS player ban has some perks as well as some disadvantages.

 

Perks of OASIS player-ban system

• Help with gambling addiction – One of the most significant advantages of OASIS is that this self-exclusion system helps players make a conscious decision about their gambling habits and exclude themselves from online gambling in case they have a reason to believe that they are suffering from gambling addiction.
• Enable players to exclude from gambling temporarily – Even though OASIS is a self-banning system, it still enables players to make their own choices and exclude themselves from online gambling, not forever, but for a certain amount of time. After the initial self-exclusion period is over, a player can return to online gaming without any complications.

 

Disadvantages of OASIS player-ban system

• Long-self exclusion periods – One of the more unpleasant aspects of the OASIS player ban is its self-exclusion periods, which some industry experts and players themselves consider excessive and unnecessarily restrictive. The OASIS player ban period can range from three months to a year and up to five years. As for the third-party exclusion, a minimum OASIS player ban period is one year.
• Restricts player’s access to online gaming – The most apparent disadvantage of the OASIS player exclusion system is that this barring scheme restricts players’ access to all kinds of online gambling until the initial self-exclusion period is over. Once a player is registered with OASIS services, they have to say goodbye to gambling online and playing their favorite online casino games in locally licensed online casinos and all betting sites.

Conclusion

Even though the GlüStV 2021 and OASIS have been operating in the German online gambling market for 2.5 years, it’s still early to predict the future. Industry experts anticipate that the restrictions brought by the GlüStV 2021 will negatively affect German players in the long run, and they will have no other option but to flee the local gambling market in search of alternative offshore casinos with fewer limitations. Let’s wait and see the situation figure out itself soon enough.