The GGL, or the Gemeinsame Glücksspielbehörde der Länder, which is the gambling regulator in Germany, is responsible for the enforcement of illegal gambling operators and the regulation of legal online casinos. From its reports, it can be seen that the authority, in 2024, started more than 1,500 prohibition proceedings against unregulated gambling websites. While unregulated gambling websites target German players even in 2026, consumer protection and compliance are still hot-spot issues. This article will focus on the warning signs and how illegal casinos are in the eyes of the GGL, and ways players can check for licensed casinos.
As Germany’s gambling enforcement has gotten more sophisticated in the last couple of years, unlicensed online casinos are still using their websites. As modern websites, huge bonus offers, and fast registration processes are used, players become confused and think that they are on a licensed site when, in fact, they are not. However, the consequences of being on the unlicensed site are legal and/or financial.
As of 2023, the GGL was the first central supervisory authority for online gambling for the 16 German states. From the authority’s mandate, they are responsible for the licensing of online gambling, the enforcement of regulatory compliance, and the blocking of illegal gambling websites. Those looking for the best online casino and want to assess their legality need to have an understanding of how the gambling authority’s framework works.
What Is Germany’s GGL and Why It Matters for Online Gambling
Germany’s GGL began fully functioning in January 2023, and it falls under the newest version of Germany’s Interstate Treaty on Gambling. Starting in 2023, Europe began a new centralized method for handling state funding, and the GGL is the first of its kind in managing state funding for Germany’s operators in the legal online gambling industry, including online slots, online poker, and sports betting.
In cooperation with the GGL, the gambling authority regulated and restricted more than 1,500 illegal gambling sites. In 2023, the GGL reported over 1,500 illegal gambling sites, and it began its first ongoing cooperation with the GGL gambling authority in 2022. This information was disclosed to the GGL in association with the internet service providers and payment service providers to cut off the traffic flow.
In Germany, operators’ stakes and limits of 1,000 euros are set for their users and customers. These self-imposed limits are required to self-exclude from gambling. They must also implement identity verifications and connect to the self-exclusion database known as OASIS.
Restrictions are mirrored by bonus structures. When examining offers considered a no deposit bonus in Germany, comparison sites that monitor regulated promotions observe that licensed casinos usually restrict such offers to small free spins or small amounts. Offers that are subject to German law in terms of deposit limits and advertising compliance. Conversely, offshore sites are free to advertise high-value bonuses without regard to any local laws.
The GGL has a role in addition to simply granting licenses. They also oversee advertising and can sanction companies that are targeting German citizens without permission. This oversight dictates how the legal market will be structured in 2026.
How the GGL Defines an Illegal Online Casino
Under German law, an online casino is illegal if it operates games of chance without a German license. The GGL has a public whitelist of licensed operators that is public. Thus, any operator not included is prohibited from offering any gambling services to German citizens.
The authority also checks if companies meet the prescribed operational and technical standards. This includes stake limits on online slots, enforced spin delays, and restrictions on simultaneous play. Non-compliance will result in operators facing enforcement actions.
There is still active research regarding offshore gambling. Recently, the University of Leipzig conducted a study regarding Germany’s regulated gambling market and showed that there is still a significant amount of gambling activity on unregulated sites. Part of the reason for this is due to aggressive advertising for unregulated sites regarding the variety of games offered.
Offshore casinos that claim to have German licenses have Operating Licenses issued by jurisdictions such as Curaçao. However, these Licenses do not give permission to the offshore operators to target the German market and do not give the operators the right to engage with German players as per the German Interstate Treaty.
Check for a Valid German Gambling License
To check a casino’s licensed status, you have to check the GGL whitelist. This leads you to trust the commercial website’s claims.
Complaints regarding imitation are still relevant. Some advertising from illegal gambling sites is impersonating the GGL, and the GGL has warned that illegal sites are using these impersonations to legitimize their websites. It’s still necessary to verify the name of a company and its license number against the official registry.
Licensed operators must also connect to OASIS, the transnational self-exclusion system for Germany, which allows customers to self-exclude from all legal gambling activities in Germany. Any gambling site in a German language setting that does not mention OASIS or does not have a self-exclusion/identity verification requirement in place prior to allowing customers to deposit or withdraw funds has a questionable legal status.
The law enforcement agencies demonstrate the problem. The 2024 Federal Criminal Police Office report on cybercrime showed a sustained increase in online fraud related to the unauthorized provision of gambling services, among other digital services, despite the fact that the services are not licensed. The unregulated gambling platforms are creating a situation that financially harms an increasing number of victims.
All these signals contribute to the differentiation between legal and illegal operators in the German online gambling market. The German online gambling market continues to focus on the legal and illegal gambling operators and enforcement actions related to this theme for the 2026 reporting period.
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