Germany set for gambling review after offshore operator growth
Germany’s federal gambling regulator — Gemeinsame Glücksspielbehörde der Länder (GGL) — has joined forces with the Federal Drug Commissioner to intensify efforts against black-market gambling and enhance player protection ahead of the 2026 review of the Interstate Treaty on Gambling.
This marks a coordinated national response involving regulatory, public health, and law enforcement agencies and could eventually lead to reform, which will lead to greater powers for authorities as they offshore gambling operators accepting Germans.
The collaboration addresses growing concerns over gambling addiction — affecting an estimated 1.3 million people — and the persistent threat of illegal offshore operators who bypass Germany’s licensing system.
Of particular concern to German authorities is that over 80% of play on online slots for real money came at unlicensed operators.
A new working group has been formed to pool resources and information across federal and state bodies to increase transparency and crack down on unlicensed platforms.
Under the 2021 Interstate Treaty, online gambling in Germany became legal under strict licensing conditions, including deposit limits and advertising rules. However, enforcement has been uneven, and illegal platforms continue to attract users with few consequences.
The GGL’s new cooperation model focuses on joint strategies, public education, and policy reform input.
By the end of 2026, the entire treaty will be up for review. Authorities aim to use this opportunity to assess the treaty’s effectiveness and possibly implement tougher penalties, enhanced data-sharing, and new addiction prevention measures across Germany’s digital gambling landscape.
What does this mean for the future of German iGaming?
It appears inevitable that Germany will follow the model of other countries and run a tightly-regulated, but free online gambling industry, which are the markets that have had the best success with running safe, but profitable digital arms.
They will be wary of over-regulation and falling into the trap the United Kingdom Gambling Commission has fallen into, with many Brits now choosing to gamble with offshore, illegal operators, with supposed better odds and conditions.
But they ultimately must do something about the lack of tax dollars coming from the burgeoning offshore gambling operators.
