Germany’s iGaming Regulation in 2024 Shows Progress and Challenges
In 2024 the German Gambling Authority (GGL) made its presence felt in the regulation and control of the gaming market. With measures against illegal gaming and active engagement in public debates the authority set new standards for fairness and player protection.
A Year of 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. The successes show that consistent measures and close cooperation with partners are crucial to curbing the illegal market.”
Said Ronald Benter, GGL board member. The GGL, established under the 2021 State Treaty on Gaming, called 2024 a year of progress. Despite obstacles the authority proved itself through action.
The GGL used a multi-faceted approach to make illegal gaming less profitable. Key measures were:
- Payment Blocking: Collaboration with payment service providers cut off financial flows to illegal platforms. A successful court case against a Swiss payment provider proved the effectiveness of this approach.
- Geo-Blocking: Geo-blocking was expanded under the Digital Services Act. Geo-blocking limited access to illegal sites.
- Advertising Regulations: The GGL convinced Google to restrict gambling ads to licensed operators, so illegal ads were reduced by September 2024.
More Transparency and Accountability
In October 2024 the GGL sent its first public warnings to non-compliant licensed operators. Zero tolerance for regulatory breaches. These warnings were to prevent further violations and to make the market more transparent.
Amateur sports betting was a hot topic in 2024. The GGL answered questions and called on licensed operators to implement measures, including blocking access via foreign domains and preventing VPN usage. The authority also participated in the broader debate around the reform of the German Criminal Code to address these issues.
The GGL extended its educational activities with a new player FAQ. This section explains licensing requirements, illegal gaming and player protection measures to support consumer decision making.
Despite the successes the black market is still a big challenge. The GGL estimates the size of the illegal online gaming market to be lower than industry reports suggest. To get more precise figures the authority commissioned a study on channeling effects which will be published by the end of 2025.
State Treaty on Gaming
In 2024 the GGL monitored the evaluation of the 2021 State Treaty. The authority found areas for improvement, like expanding supervisory powers over international operators and IP blocking. Studies on player protection and advertising will feed into future regulatory adjustments.
The GGL will intensify international cooperation and digitize more. The authority will keep the balance between market regulation and addiction prevention and player protection.
“We will do everything we can to continue on this path in 2025.”
– said Benter.
