Gauselmann brings in Dahms to lead Merkur division

Gauselmann Group has appointed Mathias Dahms, formerly chief executive of mybet and XtiP, to manage its Merkur Sports & Gaming business.

In his new role, Dahms (pictured) will primarily be tasked with positioning Gauselmann and Merkur to enter Germany's regulated sports betting market.

Dahms takes on the position after more than five years as chief execuitve at Gauselmann's German sports betting brand XtiP, prior to which he also served in the same role at mybet.

In addition, Dahms has been president of the German Sports Betting Association (DSWV) since its foundation in 2014 and was recently reelected to the role for a further five years.

“Mathias Dahms will continue to work closely with the management of Merkur Sportwetten and strategically develop the sports bet in the Gauselmann Group,” Gauselmann said. “Key topics for the future include the convergence and digital transformation of the various forms of gaming that the group offers today.”

The appointment comes after Gauselmann in April also appointed Markus Ettlin as managing director and chairman of its Merkur Sportwetten sports betting business. Ettlin has been with Gauselmann since December 2018.

The German sports betting market is set for significiant change in the next few years. In March, the The Minister-Presidents of Germany’s 16 federal states ratified the third amended State Treaty on Gambling, paving the way for operators to apply for sports betting licences in the market.

Licences will come into force from January 1, 2020 and run until June 30, 2021. This will effectively act as a placeholder, with a view to a complete overhaul of Germany's gambling regulations by 2021.