Call for gambling ads ban in Germany

An estimated one in eight Germans has a gambling problem and advertising should be banned, asserts Burkhard Blienert, a senior anti-drugs official with the federal government.

Blienert wants restrictions on advertising of alcohol, tobacco and sports betting, reports Associated Press. Around 150,000 Germans die each year from alcohol and tobacco use, in addition to those Blienert said have a gambling problem.

“We need a real paradigm shift, a change of thinking, when it comes to drugs and addiction policy,” he said. He added that no other European country is as easy going as Germany on alcohol and tobacco.

After suggesting restrictions on tobacco and alcohol, Blienert called for bans on advertising sports betting on television, radio and on the internet before 9 pm. This is currently the case with online casinos.