Bauartzulassung für Spielgeräte beantragen

• §§ 33c-33g Gewerbeordnung (GewO)
• §§ 11-17 Verordnung über Spielgeräte und andere Spiele mit Gewinnmöglichkeit (Spielverordnung, SpielV) – Zulassung von Spielgeräten

Gambling devices with the possibility of winning (money and goods gambling devices) may only be set up commercially if the Physikalisch-Technische Bundesanstalt has approved their design. You must apply for this approval as the manufacturer of the gaming machine.

Note: Approvals may be granted for a limited period or subject to further conditions.

• Description of the play equipment
• Construction plan
• Operating instructions
• technical description of the components
• a sample device
  This should be complete and functional and suitable for series production.
• a written declaration that the general requirements have been met

At the request of the competent body, you must submit further documents.

Tip: A detailed list and description of the documents required for a type approval can be found in Annex 2 of the Technical Guideline of the Physikalisch-Technische Bundesanstalt.

The requirements for the licensing of gambling devices are regulated in §§ 12, 13 and 14 of the Gaming Ordinance (see "Legal basis").

Requirements for the approval of gambling devices

§ 12 of the Gaming Ordinance (Spielverordnung/SpielV) requires, among other things, that the gaming machine submitted for inspection must

• Winnings must be paid out in such an amount that, in the long run, no amount higher than EUR 33.00 per hour remains as cash content,
• the chances of winning are random and equal for each player,
• at the beginning of a break in play, all amounts in the coin and winnings accounts are automatically paid out, and
• it is possible to document all stakes, winnings and cash contents for tax purposes.

The following additional licensing requirements are stipulated for slot machines in § 13 SpielV:

• The minimum playing time is five seconds. The stake may not exceed EUR 0.20 and the winnings may not exceed EUR 2.00.
• If the interval between two bets is extended beyond five seconds up to a maximum of 75 seconds, the bet may be increased by a maximum of EUR 0.03 per full second. If the interval between two winnings payments is extended beyond five seconds up to an upper limit of 75 seconds, the winnings may be increased by a maximum of EUR 0.30 per full second. Increases of stakes and winnings beyond this are excluded.
• The sum of losses (stakes minus winnings) may not exceed EUR 80.00 in the course of one hour.
• The sum of winnings less stakes may not exceed EUR 500.00 in the course of one hour.
• After one hour of play, the gaming machine shall take a break of at least five minutes during which no bets are accepted and no winnings are awarded. The start of the gaming break may be delayed as long as winnings significantly exceed stakes.
• The storage of monetary amounts in stake and winnings memories is limited to EUR 25.00 in total when money is accepted from the player. Higher amounts shall be paid out automatically immediately after being booked. There is a control device for the player with which he/she can set in advance whether posted amounts are to be wagered without influence or whether each individual wager is to be made by actuation. In addition, there is a non-lockable control device for payout, with which the player can dispose of the posted amounts, which are greater than or equal to EUR 0.20 in total, without restriction.
• The game may only be played with coins and banknotes denominated in euros and only directly on the gaming machine.
• The gaming machine shall be equipped with a control device that records all stakes, winnings and the contents of the cash register in a timely, direct and readable manner. The control device shall ensure compliance with limits on stakes, playing time, winnings and losses.
• The gaming machine and its components must be built to function reliably and securely against modification in accordance with the state of the art.
• The gaming device must be constructed in such a way that the conformity of the replica devices with the approved design can be verified.

The Physikalisch-Technische Bundesanstalt has published a technical guideline on its website which provides more detailed explanations of the approval requirements.

Special requirements for the approval of product gambling devices

Section 14 of the Gaming Ordinance is relevant for amusement arcades, in which similar requirements apply as for the approval of amusement arcades.

 administrative fees

The application must be submitted in writing with a legally binding signature of the applicant. You can attach supplementary technical descriptions in electronic form.

You will receive an acknowledgement of receipt or a request to submit any missing documents.

Tip: The Physikalisch-Technische Bundesanstalt has published a Technical Guideline on its website. In Part III, you will find detailed information on the exact procedure, a detailed description of the required documents and a sample application.

If the design of your play equipment is approved, you will receive an approval certificate. Upon application, you will receive an approval certificate and an approval mark for each reproduction device of the approved design.

The approval certificate contains the following information:

• Designation of the play equipment
• Name and place of residence of the approval holder
• Description of the game machine and, if applicable, general drawings and illustrations
• Identification of the hardware and software modules used
• in the case of merchandise gaming devices: Designation of the places of installation and the duration of installation
• any conditions attached to the licence

The approval document shall contain the designation of the gaming machine, the name and place of residence of the approval holder, the beginning and end of the installation period and references to regulations that must be observed when operating the gaming machine.

The Physikalisch-Technische Bundesanstalt publishes the approval of a type of construction as well as amendments, revocation or withdrawal of approvals on its website.

 none

The approval shall be withdrawn or revoked if

• reasons for failure subsequently become known, or
• the applicant modifies the features of the licensed gaming equipment as specified in the licence.