What Lowen Play Gmbh does

Löwen Play GmbH is one of Germany's largest operators of regulated gaming arcades (Spielhallen), headquartered in Bingen am Rhein. The company operates more than 350 directly-owned gaming halls across Germany and the Netherlands, employing more than 2,000 people, and complements its physical network with a state-licensed online gaming platform (loewen-play.de / LP Fun Online). Founded in 1949 as Löwen Automaten GmbH in Braunschweig and rebranded under the Löwen Play brand in 1986, the company consolidated regional gaming operations into a single entity in 1990 and spun off from machine manufacturer NSM Apparatebau in 2001 to operate as an independent gaming hall company under the Safari Group holding structure.

The business model is direct-to-consumer: customers pay per gaming session on regulated slot and amusement machines (Geldspielgeräte) within company-operated venues. The technology stack is built around regulatory compliance rather than consumer-facing product differentiation. Core technical components include OASIS (Onlineabfrage Spielerstatus) integration with the Regierungspräsidium Darmstadt for mandatory player exclusion checks, access control terminals with ID scanning for age and identity verification, video surveillance, and encrypted data transmission. The company has been certified by TÜV Rheinland under the DAW-Branchenstandard since 2015 — the first operator in the industry to obtain this certification — covering approximately 130 quality criteria across youth protection, player protection, and operational management. Compliance is governed by the Glücksspielstaatsvertrag 2021 (GlüStV 2021), and Löwen Play maintains a dedicated Player Protection department, established in 2011, staffed by Social Concept Officers (Sozialkonzeptbeauftragte) and partnered with GSP Akademie GmbH for independent prevention expertise.

Revenue is generated through transaction fees on gaming sessions, with the company as a significant contributor to German municipal entertainment tax (Vergnügungssteuer). The company serves adult entertainment-seeking consumers (18+) in a regulated retail environment, with a secondary focus on vulnerable players through early detection and exclusion mechanisms. The company is led by CEO Tilman Brauch (since 2006) and CFO Dr. Stefan Schwenkedel (since 2016), and operates bond-issued investor relations under the Safari Group parent. No revenue figures are publicly disclosed in the available source material.

Name

Lowen Play Gmbh

Legal name

LÖWEN PLAY GmbH

Website

https://loewen-play-unternehmen.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

1949

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Löwen Play GmbH operates more than 350 regulated gaming arcades across Germany and the Netherlands, employing over 2,000 people, and complements this physical network with a state-licensed online gaming platform serving adult entertainment consumers under the Glücksspielstaatsvertrag 2021 regulatory framework.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Gaming & Gambling Operations

NAICS

Amusement Parks and Arcades (7131), Casinos (except Casino Hotels) (71321)

SIC

Services-Membership Sports & Recreation Clubs (7997)

akta.pro primary industry

Online Casino Studios & Game Publishers (Slots, RNG, Live Dealer) (MPAEABAJ)

Keywords

• Gaming arcades
• Slot machines
• Online gambling
• Player protection
• Entertainment venues

Headquarters

HQ city

Bingen

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Gaming Hall Operations: Revenue generated from operating more than 350 gaming halls (Spielhallen) offering legal gambling entertainment with state licensing. Customers pay for gaming sessions on gaming machines (Geldspielgeräte). The company contributes significantly to German tax revenue through entertainment taxes (Vergnügungssteuer).

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Löwen Play operates more than 350 state-licensed gaming arcades (Spielhallen) across Germany and the Netherlands offering legal slot and amusement gaming entertainment, complemented by a state-licensed online gaming platform (loewen-play.de / LP Fun Online). Customers pay per gaming session on coin-operated gaming machines in premium, modern venues with strict player and youth protection measures. Revenue is generated from gaming session fees on Geldspielgeräte, with full compliance under the Glücksspielstaatsvertrag 2021.

Product overview

Löwen Play GmbH operates a dual-channel entertainment offering: physical gaming arcades (Spielhallen) at over 350 locations across Germany and the Netherlands, complemented by the state-licensed online platform Löwen Play Online / LP Fun Online. The physical arcade network and the online platform share the same brand identity and commitment to responsible gaming, with the company emphasizing its social responsibility and regulatory compliance across both channels.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Löwen Play Online: Online gaming platform with state license for online play
• LP Fun Online

Products and services

• Physical Spielhallen (Gaming Arcades) Over 350 brick-and-mortar gaming arcades (Spielhallen) operated company-owned across Germany and the Netherlands, offering state-concessioned slot and amusement gaming entertainment with comprehensive player protection, age verification, and OASIS exclusion system checks.
• Löwen Play Online State-licensed online gaming platform offering digital slot and amusement entertainment with regulatory compliance, accessible via web browser. Provides legal online gaming under the same brand identity and responsible gaming standards as the physical arcades.
• LP Fun Online Sub-brand for digital gaming offerings under the Löwen Play umbrella, accessible through the dedicated online platform loewen-play.de.

Quantifiable outcome

• 1.72 billion euros in tax contributions by the German entertainment machine industry in 2022
• +2 more outcomes

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and supporting.

• GSP Akademie GmbH (formerly Gesellschaft für Spielerschutz und Prävention mbH)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2016Independent strategic partner for player protection and prevention since 2016. GSP advises on player protection and prevention, supports development of the Socialkonzept (social concept), trains the majority of employees in required prevention education, and develops consumer protection materials such as flyers and posters. The partnership serves as an important independent interface for the company's internal player protection department.
• BCIS IT Systeme GmbH & Co. KGsupportingTechnology or IntegrationIT infrastructure, network technology, and system administration partner based in Kassel, Germany. Supports operational IT operations, system availability, and error diagnosis/resolution. Acts as a data processor under Article 28 GDPR.
• Legal Tegrity GmbHsupportingTechnology or IntegrationProvides whistleblowing software-as-a-service (SaaS) called 'Meldesystem' for compliance with the Whistleblower Protection Act (HinSchG) and Supply Chain Due Diligence Act (LkSG).
• innovaphone AGsupportingTechnology or IntegrationCommunications and IT systems provider for internal and external business communication. Provides IP telephone systems, unified communications platforms, and IT support services from Sindelfingen, Germany.
• TÜV RheinlandcoreOthersAccredited certification organization conducting regular audits and certification procedures for DAW-Branchenstandard quality certification covering youth protection, player protection, and operational management.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves13 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Others

• Playtech plc: Global B2B gambling technology and platform provider supplying operators across regulated European markets. Comparable as an ecosystem participant that supplies the underlying technology stack used by regulated gaming operators including those in Germany and the Netherlands.

Direct peers

• Spielbanken NRW: State-owned casino operator in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany's most populous state, running multiple casino locations under state concession. Comparable as a German, state-regulated gambling venue operator with similar player protection obligations.
• Gauselmann Group: Germany's other major gaming machine manufacturer and arcade operator (Merkur brand), running a comparable estate of Spielhallen under similar GlüStV regulation. Closest direct competitor to Löwen Play in scale, business model, and regulatory profile.
• Admiral Casinos & Entertainment: Austrian operator of small-stakes gaming venues and slot arcades under the Admiral brand, with international operations including Central Europe. Closely comparable to Löwen Play as a multi-jurisdiction operator of land-based slot/arcade venues targeting adult entertainment seekers.
• Gaming1: Belgian-headquartered operator and platform provider with regulated casino, sports betting, and lottery operations across several European jurisdictions. Comparable as a multi-market regulated gaming operator that competes for the same adult gambling wallet as Löwen Play.
• Tipico Group: German-origin operator combining online sports betting and casino with retail outlets in Germany. Comparable in targeting the same German-speaking adult gambling customer base, with overlapping regulatory exposure to GlüStV and a parallel online channel.

Broad incumbents

• Kindred Group: Operator of Unibet and other regulated online gambling brands across Europe including Germany. Comparable in competing for the same German online casino and sports betting customers and in navigating the GlüStV 2021 framework.
• Novomatic AG: Austrian-headquartered gaming technology and operations group with European casino, arcade, and online operations plus a large gaming machine portfolio. Comparable as a broader incumbent across the regulated gaming value chain that includes German-speaking markets.
• Entain plc: Global online gambling group operating bwin, Ladbrokes, and PartyCasino, with a material German and broader European presence. Comparable as a large regulated gambling operator with a stronger online channel and overlapping German customer base.
• Casinos Austria: Austrian national casino operator with a portfolio of domestic and international casino venues under state concession. Comparable as a European, regulated casino incumbent with multi-jurisdiction know-how similar to Löwen Play's German/Dutch footprint.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles13 records

Subsidiaries2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Lowen Play Gmbh