Compliance check of gambler and youth protection in German amusement arcades: a pilot study

German gambling operators are required to identify problem gamblers at an early stage and exclude them from gambling on their premises. The main aim of this pilot study was to investigate the compliance of staff in Bremen’s amusement arcades. While visiting 29 of 111 amusement arcades, covert gamblers simulated signs of problematic gambling behaviour, arranged self-exclusions, monitored observance of the exclusion list and made fieldnotes about the staff’s reactions. The application of age checks was also tested. The findings showed that only in six cases (5%) did the staff adequately respond to evident signs of problematic gambling behaviour. Although 18 of 29 cases (62%) eventually resulted in self-exclusions or ban-like agreements, in some instances it was necessary to overcome major obstacles that emanated from the staff’s behaviour. During 15 subsequent follow-up visits, 13 banned mystery gamblers (87%) had no problems gambling on amusement-with-prizes (AWP) machines. Finally, just 26% of the 20- to 25-year-old mystery gamblers had their ID checked. The results indicate the necessity of regular external evaluations regarding the implementation of gambling harm-minimization measures in order to identify any shortcomings. In addition, the level of staff compliance may be increased by amending current legislation (e.g. by introducing a nationwide self-exclusion programme).