Hogan Lovells advises DoGood in licensing procedure – launch of the 7th German provider of a nationwide social lottery

The new nationwide social lottery  is being launched in Germany. On 16 September 2022, after lengthy and complex negotiations, the German Glücksspielkollegium, the coordinating body of the federal states in gambling regulation, granted the license to launch the Onestly social lottery. This makes the start-up DoGood, that stands behind Onestly, one of only seven approved nationwide providers of social lotteries in Germany, alongside well-known providers such as "Aktion Mensch e.V.", "Deutsches Hilfswerk Stiftung des Bürgerlichen Rechts" (Deutsche Fernsehlotterie) or "Postcode Lotterie DT gGmbH".   

With transparency and the use of blockchain technology Onestly sets a new impulse in the social lottery industry. The use of funds and the drawing algorithm will be publicly visible and will enable players to review the possibility of winning as well as to influence the selection of prizes and the intended use of the charitable funds. A large number of charitable causes are available for selection. With the help of a national donation platform, also smaller projects can be supported. 

Social lotteries are organized by charitable organizations – at least 30 per cent of their generated profits must be used for charitable purposes.

With Thomas Dünchheim, a Düsseldorf-based specialist in regulatory issues and editor of the standard commentary on gambling law, Hogan Lovells provided legal advice to DoGood gGmbH on all issues relating to the licensing procedure.

Thomas Dünchheim said:

"The innovative model and the very professional and sophisticated concept of a social lottery convinced us immediately and it came naturally for us to support this commitment as consultants. Throughout the entire process, the project has grown very close to our hearts. We look forward to accompanying DoGood in the next steps during the market launch as well."

Hogan Lovells Team for DoGood GmbH

Prof Dr Thomas Dünchheim (Partner), Dr Viktoria Herold (Associate) (both Public Law / Gaming Law).