Regulation of the German online gambling market: Looking back at 2024 successes and challenges

"2024 presented us with a variety of challenges, but we were able to show that we have the structures and expertise to actively shape them," says board member Ronald Benter.

The GGL's declared goal is to ensure that the business model of illegal gambling is not worthwhile. By consistently pursuing illegal offers through payment blocking, geo-blocking, bans and fines, the GGL has made the business of these illegal providers more expensive in 2024. At the same time, the authority's supervisory approach ensured equal and fair competitive conditions among all permitted providers.

Milestones of the year:
Combating illegal gambling offers
The GGL relied on a broad package of measures in the fight against illegal providers. The aim was to make the business model of illegal gambling unattractive.

Successes in payment blocking: 

Through close cooperation with payment service providers, deposits and withdrawals for illegal offers were made more difficult. In the case of non-cooperative service providers, the GGL relied on court decisions such as in the case of the Swiss payment service provider, in which the Halle Administrative Court ruled in favor of the GGL in October 2024.

Geo-blocking based on the Digital Services Act (DSA) also had an effect and was consistently expanded.

Updating advertising guidelines by Google:

At the initiative of the GGL, Google has revised its advertising guidelines for gambling providers in Germany. Since September 25, 2024, only providers with a valid German license are allowed to advertise via Google Ads. This change led to a decline in illegal gambling advertising, especially from comparison sites that link to illegal offers. The GGL still sees a need for action to achieve further restrictions on advertising opportunities for illegal gambling providers.

"The successes show that consistent measures and close cooperation with partners are crucial to curbing the illegal market," says Ronald Benter.

Responsiveness in the public debate
The GGL has acted quickly and purposefully on issues such as the planned reform of the Criminal Code and the discussion about sports betting in the amateur sector. The authority has approached other responsible institutions and, through its position on these issues, has also stimulated the political discussion (see, among others, press release "Rethinking the criminal law amendment called for: GGL Board appeals to the Federal Ministry of Justice").

Sports betting in the amateur sector in the media focus
Sports betting, especially in amateur football, moved into the public spotlight in 2024. In order to create transparency, the GGL published corresponding FAQs on its website. At the same time, legal sports betting providers were asked to ensure that their offers are not accessible via foreign domains and that affected sister companies take technical precautions against players circumventing legal requirements, for example by using a VPN - with proven success.

First public warnings
With the first public warnings in October 2024, the GGL expanded its supervisory tools. The aim is to make violations by permitted providers transparent. It signals to the affected providers that their behavior will not be tolerated and is intended to deter other providers from committing similar violations.

Raising awareness of gambling addiction: New FAQ section for education
As part of its educational work, the GGL has set up an FAQ section on its website. There, players and those interested in gambling can find answers to frequently asked questions on topics such as illegal gambling, the requirements for obtaining a license and specific player protection measures. More information at: FAQs for players.

Ongoing challenges from the black market
Despite the successes in combating illegal gambling offers on the Internet, the black market remains a serious challenge. Its specific extent is often discussed. The GGL estimates the proportion of illegal online gambling to be significantly lower than industry publications. The difference is mainly due to methodological differences. However, in order to contribute to a reliable data basis for the discussion on the channeling effect of German gambling regulation, the GGL is having its own and other methods tested as part of a scientific study