Germany’s online gambling hopefuls are recoiling in horror at proposals to impose new online slots and poker taxes ahead of the launch of the country’s new regulated market. 

On Tuesday, the Süddeutsche Zeitung newspaper reported that a working group comprised of the finance ministries of the states of Hesse, North Rhine-Westphalia, Bavaria and Berlin had drawn up a draft law that would impose a 5.3% tax on online poker games and a ‘virtual machine tax’ of 8% on each spin of an online slot.   

The report didn’t specify on how this online poker tax would be applied but seems to suggest an additional rake taken on each pot. There are no indications at present what level of new taxation might be imposed on other online casino products (licenses for which are to be severely limited and issued separately from online slots permits). 

The Federal Ministry of Finance (BMF) declined to comment on the specifics of the SZ report except to say that changes to existing gambling laws were being discussed. Germany’s 16 states are currently in the process of individually ratifying the new federal gambling treaty ahead of the regulated online market’s launch on July 1, 2021.  

The modern poker plays an aggressive, pro-active game that relies on superb skill, patient discipline, game choice and optimal play.  

One player who typifies all these qualities is David Peters, who has become the 7th most successful live tournament poker player of all time. But how did the quiet man of elite poker who hails for Toledo, Ohio do it? Let’s take a step back in time and find out.  

Free-Rolling the Dream  

Inspired by Chris Moneymaker’s incredible 2003 victory in the 2003 Main Event, David Peters started out life as a poker player by paying nothing at all to win money. Yes, Peters was one of the many millions of players who play freeroll poker tournaments for nothing and hope to spin their entry into some real money. Peters did exactly that, winning $600 having risked nothing and that gave him the shot at playing for real money.  

The latest super MILLION$ event on GGPoker had a massive $2 million guarantee, and with a $10,300 buy-in, fell just five buy-ins short of that guaranteed prizepool with 195 entries in total. 

The final table kicked off in fine style, with 34 minutes of play before anyone bit the dust. That led to stacks getting shallower and the guillotine’s blade hanging ever closer – metaphorically, anyway, even GGPoker haven’t come up with a guillotine graphic yet – to the player’s heads.  

First of the nine to depart was Ukrainian player Vlad Martynenko, who came into play with the short-stack and moved all-in for his whole stack with pocket fours from the small blind after a standard button raise from Aleskei Barkov on the button. Barkov held tens, however, and with Martynenko chasing the case four, he couldn’t find it and busted for the first payment of $57,502.  

Next to go was the Marius Gierse in 8th place for $72,842 after his move over the top of Nick Petrangelo’s opening bet saw all of the Austrian’s committed with pocket eights. Petrangelo made the call with a suite ace-queen and hit the queen on the flop to eliminate the Austrian who had commented ‘Just one time!’ as the chips went into the middle. No such luck.  

Russia’s betting operators got a serious lump of coal in their Christmas stockings as legislators abruptly approved a major regulatory shakeup, including even higher taxes than originally proposed. 

On Wednesday, Russia’s Duma approved second and third readings of the controversial new legislation that aims to (a) dramatically hike Russian bookmakers’ financial contributions to local sports, (b) create a new Unified Gambling Regulator, (c) abolish two existing industry associations and (d) establish a single hub for online betting payments.

The approval – the third reading garnered 76.4% support from Duma deputies – came despite the Ministry of Finance suggesting just the day before that deputies wait until January 22 to submit further amendments to the bill. Instead, a flurry of changes was submitted at the 11th hour and legislators apparently saw no point in delaying further progress.  

One of these amendments suggested raising the proposed cut of betting turnover that would be funnelled to the appropriate sports body on whose event the bet was made from 1% to 1.5%.