Germany Legalises Online Casino Games From July 2021
Germany has decided to pass gaming regulation that will now allow online poker and online casino operators to offer their services from next year. Legislators approved a bill that will expand the online gambling industry in the country to include casino games and poker. The official launch of these games is expected to be to take place during July 2021.
Legislators approved a new gambling law known as Glücksspielneuregulierungstaatsvertrag which allows operators to introduce more iGaming services such as online poker and casino games. As of now, Germany is operating based on its Third State Treaty on Gambling which only allows sports betting to take place.
This treaty came into effect at the start of Jan 2020 and was approved on a trial basis to see what kind of impact the legalised sports betting market would have on the country.
This law allowed international operators who wanted to launch sports betting operations in Germany to apply for a license from the Darmstadt Regional Council of the state of Hesse.
The license only allowed for sports betting operations and did not permit online casino or poker games. Online players in Germany will now be happy that the ban on these games is finally lifted but will need to remain patient as an official launch could be more than 12 months away.
Stringent Restrictions Over iGaming
While Germany has taken a big step to legalise online poker and casino games, legislators have put in place stringent regulations that will restrict both operators and players. The new legislator will only allow sportsbooks to offer wagers on the final outcome of games. There will be no provision for in-play betting or prop bets.
While a number of countries have taken the approach of launching their iGaming markets and then sorting through their regulation, Germany decided to take things slow and put all the necessary regulations in place before going live.
German players will not be able to deposit more than €1,000 into their account. They will also not be able to bet more than €1 on each spin when it comes to playing slot games. Operators will also not be allowed to offer the auto spin function nor will they be able to offer any jackpot games.
Gaming operators will also not be permitted to advertise their products and services between 6 am and 9 pm. A gaming regulator will soon be established and will be located in Sacshen-Anhalt.
Carolyn DuttonAuthor
Carolyn is our legislation expert, with a background in law she is able to cover the current state of gambling around the world
