Updates in iGaming and Gambling Legislation in Germany

The German betting industry has been clouded by uncertainty in recent years. 16 German federal governments signed a gambling treaty in 2012 intending to introduce sports betting to the online casino industry. The new German Interstate Treaty on Gambling (ISTG 2021) became effective in July of that year, making the German market available to private operators.

There are two key gambling regulatory bodies in Germany. The Darmstadt Regional Council in Hesse issues gambling licenses for online sports betting in the state of Hessen and the State Administrative Office in Saxony-Anhalt regulates gambling for games, including online slots and poker. By the end of 2022, both of these organizations will be ineffective. All German online gambling licences and enforcement mechanisms will go to the Joint Gambling Supervisory Authority in Halle on January 1, 2023.

Updates in iGaming and Gambling Legislation in Germany provide information on how to obtain a license. Private operators can apply for sports betting, virtual slot machines and online poker licenses under the Internet G gambling Regulation and Tax Act of 2021. Each permit is good for five years after it is issued.

Online gambling is excluded from the rulemaking. Federal states have different rules regarding the possibility of acquiring a license for online casino games. Private operators will be able to apply for a licence. Schleswig-Holstein and North Rhine-Westphalia will offer private operators four licenses each. Lawmakers will base the regulations on what is required to run a traditional casino.

Online sports betting, virtual slot machines, and poker have similar licensing procedures with minor differences. The most crucial elements of the general norms are summarized here. By the end of 2022, all valid online sports betting licenses issued during the ISTG era will have expired. New licenses to offer online sport betting under ISTGs 2021 for 2023 and later are expected to be issued in the fourth quarter of 2021. To operate online slot machine, the first licenses have already been awarded.

There are updates in iGaming and Gambling Legislation in Germany. Recovery claims have seen an increase in activity over the past year. Some courts have awarded compensation to players, while others have denied their claims. Online casinos in German market provide services without the necessary license. They are accused of taking bets illegally and taking money back. Gamblers take legal action against the financial institutions that process their deposits and withdrawals at online casinos.

The current state of affairs does not promote channelization. Local operators complain that the measures proposed by regulatory authorities encourage black market activity. Germany’s betting community and business owners have long awaited legalization.