Germany has one of the most tightly regulated online gambling markets in Europe. Since July 2021 a single treaty between the 16 federal states sets the rules, and a central authority decides which operators may offer online slots and poker. This guide explains the legal situation, who regulates the market, how to check whether a site is licensed, how player protection works and where to get help if gambling stops being fun.
Is online gambling legal in Germany?
Yes, within limits. The Interstate Treaty on Gambling 2021 (Glücksspielstaatsvertrag, or GlüStV 2021) came into force on 1 July 2021 and made virtual slot machines, online poker and online sports betting legal for operators that hold a German licence. Before that date, online casino games were largely prohibited outside Schleswig-Holstein.
Online table games such as roulette and blackjack are treated differently. The treaty lets each federal state decide whether to allow them, either through a state monopoly or a limited number of licences. As a result, the availability of online table games depends on where you live.
Anything outside this licensing system is unlawful. Operators without a German licence may not offer games to people in Germany, and advertising unlicensed gambling is prohibited. Payment providers can be ordered to stop processing payments for unlicensed sites, and the authority can have unlicensed websites blocked.
Who regulates online casinos in Germany?
The Joint Gambling Authority of the German States (Gemeinsame Glücksspielbehörde der Länder, GGL) is based in Halle (Saale) in Saxony-Anhalt. It took over full responsibility for licensing and supervising online slots, online poker and online sports betting at the start of 2023.
The GGL issues licences, monitors compliance and acts against illegal offers, for example through payment blocking. Land-based casinos, lotteries and arcades remain under the individual states.
How can you check if an online casino is licensed?
The GGL publishes an official list of permitted operators, often called the white list (Whitelist), on its website. It names each licensed company together with the exact domains it may use. A licence covers specific websites, so check the address in your browser against the list rather than only the brand name.
Licensed German sites also show visible signs of the national rules. If a site does not ask you to set a deposit limit, offers games with stakes far above the legal maximum or lets you play while bypassing the waiting time between spins, that is a strong signal it is not operating under a German licence.
- Open the white list on the official GGL website.
- Search for the company name and compare the listed domains with the address of the site you are on.
- Check the site's legal notice (Impressum) for the operating company and its licence reference.
- Confirm that the site asks you to set a monthly deposit limit during registration.
What player protection rules apply?
The GlüStV 2021 adds several protections that apply at every licensed operator. They are designed to work across sites, so a limit set at one casino is checked against your activity everywhere.
- A monthly deposit limit, generally capped at 1,000 euros across all licensed operators, checked through the central limit file LUGAS
- A maximum stake of 1 euro per spin on virtual slot machines
- A minimum game round of 5 seconds per spin on slots, with no autoplay
- No playing at more than one licensed online operator at the same time
- Identity and age verification before you can play
- Connection to the national self-exclusion system OASIS
How does self-exclusion with OASIS work?
OASIS is the nationwide gambling self-exclusion system, run by the Regional Council of Darmstadt in Hesse. Licensed online operators, land-based casinos, arcades and betting shops must check every player against the OASIS register before allowing them to play.
You can request a self-exclusion through any connected operator or directly via the OASIS procedure. The minimum period for a self-exclusion is three months, and an exclusion does not end automatically: you have to apply in writing for it to be lifted after the period you chose. Family members and operators can also request a third-party exclusion in certain situations, which is reviewed before it takes effect.
A temporary 24 hour panic button is also available on licensed sites. It locks your account immediately when you feel you are losing control, without the need to fill in a form.
What are the risks of unlicensed gambling sites?
Sites without a German licence are not checked by the GGL and are not connected to OASIS or LUGAS. That means your self-exclusion and your deposit limit will not apply there, which removes the main safeguards the law was designed to give you.
If a payout is delayed or refused, a German authority cannot step in on your behalf, and any dispute has to be pursued where the operator is registered. Taking part in unauthorised public gambling is also listed as an offence in section 285 of the German Criminal Code.
Do you pay tax on casino winnings in Germany?
Winnings from games of chance are generally not subject to income tax for private players in Germany, because gambling is not treated as a source of income. This applies to wins at licensed casinos and lotteries alike. Professional poker players can be an exception, since courts have treated regular, skill-based play as a business activity.
Operators carry the tax burden instead. Licensed providers of virtual slots and online poker pay a tax of 5.3 percent on stakes, and some pass part of this cost on to players through lower payout rates.
Where can you get help with problem gambling in Germany?
The free national gambling helpline is 0800 137 27 00. It is run by the Federal Institute for Public Health (BIÖG, formerly the BZgA) and is open to players, relatives and anyone concerned. The same institute runs the website check-dein-spiel.de with a self-test, information and an online support programme.
Most cities also have a gambling addiction counselling centre (Fachstelle Glücksspielsucht) that offers free and confidential advice, and the state addiction offices list local services. If you notice that you are chasing losses, hiding your gambling or borrowing money to play, reach out early and consider an OASIS self-exclusion.
Myths vs facts
- Myth: All online casino games are now legal in Germany.
- Fact: The GlüStV 2021 legalised licensed online slots, poker and sports betting. Online table games such as roulette depend on the rules of each federal state.
- Myth: A Maltese or EU licence is enough to offer games in Germany.
- Fact: Only a licence issued under the German treaty allows an operator to offer online slots and poker to people in Germany. Licences from other countries do not replace it.
- Myth: Gambling winnings in Germany are taxed like a salary.
- Fact: Private players generally do not pay income tax on gambling winnings. Licensed operators pay a 5.3 percent tax on stakes instead.
- Myth: An OASIS self-exclusion ends automatically.
- Fact: A self-exclusion stays in place until you apply in writing to have it lifted after the minimum period you chose.
Before you claim
- Operator and exact domain appear on the GGL white list
- Legal notice names the licensed operating company
- Monthly deposit limit is requested at registration
- Slot stakes are limited to 1 euro per spin
- Site checks OASIS and offers a panic button
- You know the helpline number 0800 137 27 00