Dienstleistungsportal Bayern

Traders and event organizers are responsible for ensuring that the provisions of the Youth Protection Act are observed. Violations are punishable by fines of up to EUR 50,000, and in certain cases even by imprisonment and fines. The police and the Youth Welfare Office usually carry out youth protection checks jointly. The district administrative authorities (district offices and independent cities) are responsible for punishing administrative offenses under the Youth Protection Act.

Children and adolescents under the age of 16 are generally not permitted to stay in restaurants and at dance events unless they are accompanied by a person with legal guardianship or a person responsible for their upbringing. Adolescents over 16 years of age are permitted to stay until midnight, beyond this time only if they are accompanied by a person authorized to exercise custody or a person responsible for their upbringing . However, children and adolescents are not permitted to stay in restaurants that are run as night bars or night clubs, or in comparable entertainment establishments, without exception. Minors may also not be permitted to be present in public gaming arcades .

In the event of particular dangers to minors of the event, the Youth Welfare Office may order the organizer or the trader not to allow children and minors to be present.

Other requirements are also possible to ensure the protection of minors, such as access restrictions for certain age groups or more extensive regulations on the sale of alcoholic beverages.

Beer, wine, sparkling wine and corresponding mixed drinks may be served in public to minors 16 years of age and older. All other alcoholic beverages (spirits) may not be served to children and adolescents. Beer, wine, sparkling wine and corresponding mixed drinks may be sold to adolescents over 14 years of age with the consent of a person authorized to exercise custody (e.g. their parents) if they accompany their children. However, a guardianship order is not sufficient for this.

Tobacco products, products containing nicotine, e-cigarettes and e-shishas may not be distributed to minors in public, nor may they be permitted to smoke. In the case of e-shishas and e-cigarettes, the ban also applies to nicotine-free products.

Organizers of public film events may only allow children and young people to enter if the films have been released for the age group. Attendance at public film events with films that have been released and labeled for children and adolescents over the age of twelve may also be permitted to children over the age of six if they are accompanied by a person authorized to have custody or a person responsible for their upbringing.

Traders may only make carrier media with computer games or films (e.g. DVDs, USB sticks) and screenplay devices accessible to children and young people if the media content has been released for the age group. The release of media content is carried out by permanent representatives of the supreme state youth authorities following the review process at the self-regulatory organizations of the Voluntary Self-Regulation of the Film Industry (FSK) and the Entertainment Software Self-Regulation (USK).

The Federal Agency for the Protection of Children and Young People in the Media (BzKJ) issues indexes for media harmful to young people. This results in distribution restrictions and advertising bans. Violations are punished by imprisonment and fines. This applies to media content that is immoral, brutalizing, incites violence, crime or racial hatred, and glorifies war.

The Bavarian State Ministry for Family Affairs, Labor and Social Affairs and the Bavarian State Youth Welfare Office, in consultation with the other state ministries and the leading local associations, have drawn up comprehensive statewide guidelines on the implementation of the Youth Protection Act to inform all those involved - the implementing authorities, industry, parents and minors.