Legacy of an Icon: Merkur Group Founder Paul Gauselmann Passes Away at 91

The German gaming industry has lost one of its most influential figures. Paul Gauselmann, the founder and long-standing Chairman of the Board of the Merkur Group, passed away on August 21 at the age of 91. Just weeks before his 92nd birthday, a life ended that reflected the economic development of the post-war era in Westphalia and beyond like few others. Until the very end, the patriarch, whom his employees respectfully called PG, remained closely connected to his life's work. Even after retiring from day-to-day operations in 2024, he was regularly seen in the offices on Merkur-Allee in Espelkamp to guide the fortunes of his empire.

His path began under the most difficult conditions. Born in 1934 in Borghorst, he lost his mother early and grew up under hardship during the Second World War. These early experiences shaped his unshakeable desire for independence and his gift for seizing opportunities. What started in 1957 as a part-time job with jukeboxes developed over 67 years into a success story represented worldwide by the smiling Merkur sun. Paul Gauselmann was not just a clever businessman but also an inventor with hundreds of patents who made modern slot gaming socially acceptable in Germany.

Numbers and facts

The economic indicators of the Merkur Group highlight the achievements of the deceased. From a small operator business, he formed a group with a total turnover of around 2.1 billion euros. Today, the company employs more than 15,000 people worldwide, with over 2,000 at the Espelkamp and Lübbecke sites alone. However, his commitment went far beyond balance sheets. He was active in trade associations for 38 years, serving as Chairman of the Board of the Association of the German Vending Machine Industry (VDAI) for 28 years.

In his private life, Gauselmann invested heavily in his home region. He recently donated around 20 million euros to the public good, including 8.7 million euros to the city of Espelkamp and 5 million euros to Lübbecke. The construction of two childcare centers with an investment volume of 6 million euros also stems from his initiative. His motto was always down-to-earth:

"Otherwise, I don’t think much of luck. I do, however, believe in coincidences where you can either seize the opportunity or not." - Paul Gauselmann, Founder of Merkur Group

Background

Paul Gauselmann was an advocate for legal and regulated gaming. In 1974, he opened the first gaming arcade in Delmenhorst to the standards of a four-star hotel to improve the industry's image. With the Merkur B, he launched the first internally developed machine in 1977, which laid the foundation for international success. To protect the company from being broken up, he transferred the shares to the Gauselmann Family Foundation in 2016. His son Michael Gauselmann took over the chairmanship in 2024, ensuring continuity as a family business. Gauselmann is survived by his wife Karin, four sons, and numerous grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

Why it matters for German players

For German players, Paul Gauselmann's legacy remains a guarantee for legal gambling. The Merkur Group is a cornerstone of the whitelist of the Joint Gambling Authority of the Federal States (GGL). Strict compliance with the Interstate Treaty on Gambling 2021 was always a priority for Gauselmann to ensure player protection. This includes connection to the LUGAS system, strict adherence to the 1,000 euro monthly deposit limit, and the 1 euro per spin limit on virtual slot machines. Anyone playing in a Merkur casino or at a machine with the smiling sun can rely on all German standards for safety and transparency being met. The focus on quality and legal integrity, which Paul Gauselmann preached throughout his life, remains the group's guiding principle.

What it means for GGL-licensed casinos

The Merkur Group serves as a model for many other GGL-licensed operators. Through Paul Gauselmann's years of lobbying, the industry was first recognized as a serious economic factor in Germany. GGL-licensed casinos today benefit from the high technical standards that Merkur helped develop over decades. The integration of OASIS and monitoring by the GGL are mechanisms that Gauselmann often viewed critically in their execution but always as necessary for a clean market. His death will not change the company's course toward digitalization and strict regulation, as the path was already set long-term by the family foundation.