Betkick and Betago secure German sportsbook licences

| By Robin Harrison
Stoiximan-owned Austrian operator Betkick Sportwettenservice and Malta-licensed Betago have become the latest operators to secure federal sports betting licences in Germany.
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Betkick can now legally offer betting via the Betano.de domain. Originally founded in Austria, it was acquired by Kaizen Gaming, then Stoiximan, in July 2018.

Betago, meanwhile, has secured retail and online licences for the market. 

The pair’s licences mean that 23 brands have been approved to offer sports betting in Germany since October 2020, when the first licences were awarded. 

However, the number of approvals lags far behind the number of applicants. In February last year, the body responsible for licensing, the Regional Council of Darmstadt, said it had received 30 applications, with a further 20 operators signalling their intention to apply. 

This came a month before the licensing process was brought to a halt by a legal challenge from Austrian bookmaker Vierklee, which claimed it was not being conducted in a fair and transparent manner. 

Vierklee’s challenge was later withdrawn. 

Of the 23 licences awarded, 22 cover online betting, with Oddset, the state lottery-owned sportsbook business, the only licensee not to apply for an internet betting licence. 

A further 10 operators, including Austrian giant Novomatic and Germany’s Gauselmann Group, have secured retail licences alongside Oddset.