Germany will implement a new oversight of the treatment of addiction and patient care, impacting all federal states and relevant authorities, including gambling oversight.
The Bundestag, Germany’s Federal Parliament, has confirmed the appointment of three new General Commissioners tasked with leading national strategies on addiction policy, recovery, and patient welfare.
Professor Dr Hendrik Streeck (CDU), a leading physician and Bundestag member, has been appointed as the Federal Government Commissioner for Addiction and Drug Issues. Further appointments include Katrin Staffler (CSU) as the new Federal Commissioner for Care, and Stefan Schwartze (SPD), who will continue his mandate as Commissioner for Patient Affairs.
The appointments were confirmed by the Federal Cabinet on 28 May 2025, following recommendations from Federal Health Minister Nina Warken. All three roles are embedded within the remit of the Federal Ministry of Health.
The reshuffle signals a reorientation in how Germany addresses complex addiction challenges within its decentralised healthcare structure, where the Länder (states) hold autonomy.
Dr. Streeck succeeds former Federal Drug Commissioner Burkhard Blienert, who in 2023 submitted a recommendation to the Bundestag proposing that gambling advertising be regulated under the same restrictions as tobacco.
Blienert’s proposal drew criticism from the German Sports Betting Association (DSWV), which argued that such measures would unfairly stigmatise operators, and media of a regulated sector.
The appointment of a new “Drug Czar” is expected to shape future regulation and public health strategies across multiple sectors including gambling where authorities remain divided over the severity of risks and the strength of supporting research.
German Stakeholders remain divided on the political fallout of the 2024 Federal Ministry of Health Report, which estimated that 1.3 million Germans suffer from gambling addiction — more than three times prior estimates.
Though intended as a call to action for public health, the report was widely criticised for its methodology and accused of inflating figures to support tighter controls.
Industry stakeholders and academics argued the findings blurred distinctions between recreational and problem gambling, fuelling political momentum for advertising restrictions and player spending caps.
Several Länder governments rejected the report’s implications, viewing it as an overstep by federal authorities into constitutionally reserved state powers under the 2021 State Treaty on Gambling (GlüStV).
Katrin Staffler will now spearhead efforts to develop sustainable care infrastructure across all regions, while Stefan Schwartze continues to represent patient rights at the federal level — a role that has grown in prominence amid post-pandemic restructuring and increasing digitalisation in healthcare.
Together, the appointments represent a strategic realignment in German health policy, aiming for stronger integration between addiction treatment, care services, and patient advocacy. Their combined mandate is expected to drive national standards and policy coherence — while continuing to test the balance of power between federal leadership and regional autonomy.
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