Administrative services A-Z

If you wish to operate an amusement arcade or similar business on a travelling basis, you will need a permit for the respective location.

Submit an informal application for a permit to operate an amusement arcade as a travelling business

• Copy of identity card or passport with certificate of registration, or presentation on site
• Proof of orderly financial circumstances

if resident in Germany:

• Extract from the debtors' register
• Certificate of the insolvency court
• Certificate in tax matters (from the tax office)

if you are resident abroad:

• Documents from your home country proving that your financial circumstances are in order

Proof of the legal form of the company

• If the company is domiciled in Germany, if the company is registered in a register
  Extract from the commercial register, the partnership register or the register of cooperatives.
  
• If the company is domiciled abroad: documents from the country of domicile proving the legal form of the company.

Proof of personal reliability

if the company is domiciled in Germany:

• Application for a certificate of good conduct for submission to an authority
• Application for an extract from the Central Trade Register for submission to an authority

if you are resident abroad:

• Documents from your country of residence proving your personal reliability

Further documents may be requested to verify your personal reliability.

Lease, purchase or rental agreement as well as the floor plan drawing of the commercially used premises.

In the case of legal entities (e.g. limited liability companies, companies limited by shares, registered cooperatives), you must submit or apply for the personal documents for all natural persons entitled to manage the company (e.g. identity papers) (e.g. extract from the central trade register for submission to an authority in accordance with Section 150 (5) of the Trade, Commerce and Industry Regulation Act). For legal entities, you also require an extract from the Central Trade Register for submission to an authority in accordance with Section 150 (5) of the Trade, Commerce and Industry Regulation Act.

Partnerships (GbR, KG, OHG, PartG, GmbH & Co. KG) are not eligible for a licence as such. Therefore, each managing partner requires the permit. Submit a completed application form and all personal documents for each of these persons.

• You must have the necessary reliability to operate an amusement arcade. As a rule, you do not possess this if you have been convicted of a crime, theft, embezzlement, extortion, receiving stolen goods, money laundering, concealment of unlawfully obtained assets, fraud, embezzlement, unauthorised organisation of gambling, participation in unauthorised gambling or an offence under § 27 of the Youth Protection Act within the last three years before submitting your application.
• You must be in good financial standing: no insolvency proceedings have been opened against your assets or they have been dismissed for lack of assets.
• The premises intended for the operation of the business meet the requirements of the police with regard to their condition and location and must be suitable for the operation of a gaming hall.
• There is no danger to young people or excessive exploitation of the gambling instinct to be feared through the operation of your business. Harmful environmental effects within the meaning of the Federal Immission Control Act (Bundes-Immissionsschutzgesetz) or a nuisance to the general public, neighbours or a facility existing in the public interest are also not to be expected.

Informal application for a permit to operate a gambling hall as a travelling business

• Copy of identity card or passport with certificate of registration, or presentation on site.
• Proof of orderly financial circumstances

if resident in Germany

• Extract from the debtors' register
• Certificate of the insolvency court
• Certificate in tax matters (from the tax office)

if you are resident abroad

• Documents from your home country proving that your financial circumstances are in order

Proof of your entrepreneurial legal form

Proof of personal reliability

• Submit your informal application with all the necessary documents.
• The competent body will check whether you meet all the requirements.
• If you meet all the requirements, you will receive the permit.
• You may only begin with the activity when you have received the permit.

Please note that you must apply for the permit in good time, as the permit must be available at the start of operations.

Pursuant to Section 1 (1) of the Ordinance on Responsibilities in Commercial Law, the local regulatory authorities of the independent municipalities, the offices, the association municipality, the co-administered municipality, the co-administering municipality and the independent cities are responsible for.

• § Section 60a (3) of the Trade Regulation Act (GewO)
• § Section 33c of the Trade Regulation Act (GewO)

If another game with the possibility of winning within the meaning of § 33d paragraph 1 sentence 1 Gewerbeordnung (GewO) is to be organised in the gaming hall pursuant to § 60a paragraph 3 Gewerbeordnung (GewO), a permit pursuant to § 60a paragraph 2 Gewerbeordnung (GewO) is also required.

Free and Hanseatic City of Hamburg
Altona District Office, Consumer Protection, Trade and Environment Department