Gambling has been a hot topic of discussion for the past few years in Germany. While the rules and regulations keep changing, it is essential to have a basic idea of the laws affecting your country. Online gambling has been regulated in Germany since July 2021. The German Interstate Treaty on Gambling (ISTG) regulates online gambling across all 16 states.
The Gemeinsame Glücksspielbehörde der Länder (GGL) oversees the market and officially issues licences to the operators; licences remain valid for a period of five years. The gambling law was laid out in 2012 when the popularity of online gambling was soaring, but it could not manage to get all the states on board and so online gambling was neither legal nor banned. Due to this, the German market was in limbo, and it attracted several international operators and consumers were soon moving towards the black market.
The Interstate Treaty on Gambling took effect on July 1, 2021, which made it legal for operators to cater to the German market as long as they have new licences. In order to find legal casinos, players can easily look at sites like onlinecasinosdeutschland.com to find the best and most trusted online casinos in Germany which have all the required licences.
After the treaty of 2021, a lot of gambling forms were legalised, but there were strict regulations for gambling operators and the treaty also laid a ban on some games and deposit limits. The regulations also require mandatory ID checks and a ban on advertising.
Its requirements include:
- Casino operators should have a registered office in EEA or EU
- Players need to create an account that will be used to play on different platforms
- All operators should have an opt-out button which will put the player in a 24-hour exclusion
- A deposit limit of €1,000 monthly
- Live betting is not allowed
- No progressive jackpot slots are allowed
- No live casino games
- A stake limit of €1 on online casino slots
- The operator’s website should have a German version with all the information
- Poker players will be randomly assigned to a virtual table
- Autoplay is not allowed
- No online gambling ads are to be shown from 6am to 9pm
After this new regulation came into effect, a lot of people were concerned that the laws would have an impact on the UK too.
Will The New Laws in Germany Affect The UK Market?
The UK’s gambling market is one of the top performers in the world. It has shown consistent growth year over year and has steadily dominated Europe’s online igaming market. Online igaming regulations have been present in the UK for a while now but some provide benefits to the operators while there are others which restrict their freedom.
The key regulator of gambling in the UK is the Gambling Commission and it is very different from the regulator in Germany. There are several regulations covering gambling in the UK but the key regulations are laid out on the Gambling Commission’s website and in the 2005 Gambling Act.
The Gambling Commission added new rules as of September 2022, but they will only affect the at-risk customers, so it is unlikely that the regulations will have a huge impact on UK’s online gambling market.
There are numerous questions when it comes to the impact of gambling rules and regulations. However, in Germany as well as in the UK, the laws and regulations are established to ensure that there are no high-risk activities and that the operators all stick to the same regulations. It helps ensure responsible gaming in the UK. Enthusiasts in the UK should not be worried about the German laws and regulations impacting them. However, they will have to remain updated about the latest UK laws and regulations.
The Bottom Line
Yes, the laws are stringent and German gambling enthusiasts might find it tough to enjoy their favourite games. These laws will soon be put in place across all states and they will impact every online operator. However, it helps to have a realistic approach when enjoying the game. Be aware of how much you can afford to lose and what are your stakes at winning.
Germany is the second largest gaming market in Europe after the UK which is also why it attracts a lot of players from across the globe and it calls for laying out laws that make the game secure and enjoyable. With online gambling gaining traction across the world, there will continue to be more regulations put in place.
