在国家控制之下的德国博彩业

　　在德国的所有16个州，赌博都是合法的，并且完全在国家的控制之下。自21世纪初以来，由于德国公民强烈的赌博欲望，使得赌博为德国政府带来大量的税收收入。

　　德国可能是扑克游戏的发源地，也可能是产生第一家赌场的国家，有着悠久的赌博历史。在中世纪，德国流行玩宝棋饼游戏，这是一种非常类似于扑克的游戏。在1764年，德国首次公开设立赌场。当时，赌博在纳粹政权看来是非法的，因为他们认为赌博与战争的目的背道而驰。

　　根据《世界赌场目录》的记录，在德国共运行75家赌场。为了防止赌场玩家成为上瘾的赌徒，所有赌场都受到政府的严格监管。2008年1月制定的法律禁止在德国网上进行任何形式的赌博。传统的在线赌场游戏以及体育博彩，网上宾果游戏和在线奖券，所有都被明令禁止。

　　当说到为保护德国避免受到网上赌场危害性的侵害，德国国会通过制定法律进行维护。该法的颁布使得国家可以控制赌博业。他们还指出，法律是在现有的欧洲联盟基础上制定法律的，特别是关于允许网上赌博这一点。因此，一些法律上的挑战已经在德国形成。

　　尽管非法网上赌博还处于严格控制的状态，但毋庸置疑的是，网上赌场在德国是非常受欢迎的。在过去的十年中，网上赌场的利润稳步增长，利息猛增。

　　译文

　　In Germany all 16 states allow Gambling

　　In all 16 states of Germany, gambling is legal and is entirely state controlled. Gambling has taken off in Germany and the German government generates a substantial amount of tax income from its citizens’ desire to gamble, since the early 2000s.

　　Germany may be the birthplace of poker and the site of the first casino and has a long history of gambling. The Germans played a game called pochenspie, in the middle ages, that is very similar to poker and the first public casino opened in 1764. Gambling was considered illegal under the Nazi regime who considered it counterproductive to the war effort.

　　There are 75 casinos in operation in Germany, according to worldcasinodirectory.com. In an attempt to prevent gamblers from becoming addictive, its casinos are heavily regulated. A January 2008 law forbade online gambling in any form in Germany. Traditional online casino games as well as sports betting, online bingo and online lotteries, all are prohibited by the ban.

　　By saying it was to protect Germans from the perils of online gaming, German lawmakers defended the law. The law was enacted so states could safeguard the state-controlled gambling industry, as per the critics. They also point out that the law is in contrast to an existing European Union law that specifically allows online gambling. As a result, several legal challenges have been formed.

　　Despite the illegal status of online gambling and strict control, it appears to be very popular in Germany. Over the past decade, profits have steadily increased and interest has skyrocketed.