Germany

Is Online Gambling Legal in Germany?

Yes, at licensed sites. The State Treaty on Gambling 2021 (Glücksspielstaatsvertrag, GlüStV 2021) came into force on 1 July 2021 and, for the first time, created licences valid across all 16 states for virtual slot machines, online poker and sports betting. Licensing and enforcement sit with the Gemeinsame Glücksspielbehörde der Länder, the GGL. Online table games such as roulette and blackjack are handled differently: each state decides whether and how to license them, and Schleswig-Holstein became the first to license commercial operators for them in September 2024.

Gambling outside the licensed system is a criminal matter. Under section 284 of the Criminal Code, organising an unlicensed public game of chance carries up to two years in prison or a fine, and section 285 makes taking part punishable by up to six months or a fine of up to 180 daily rates. A foreign licence, including one from another EU country, does not make an offer legal in Germany.

The €1 Stake Rule and What Changed in July 2026

Section 22a of the treaty sets the core rules for online slots: a stake may not exceed €1 per game, and a game must last at least five seconds on average. Those limits shape everything at a German casino, from how long a session lasts to how fast a bonus can be played through.

From 1 July 2026 the GGL, with the approval of the states, allowed licensed operators to raise stakes for some players. The €1 limit remains the default and still applies to anyone under 21. Players aged 21 and over can be offered up to €3 per spin, and up to €5 once they have shown no signs of risky gambling for three months. Operators must monitor players before and after any increase and step in if warning signs appear.

The €1,000 Monthly Deposit Limit

Every player at a licensed casino has a deposit limit of €1,000 per calendar month, and it applies across all licensed operators combined. It is enforced through LUGAS, the central monitoring system that every licensed operator reports to. A higher limit is possible only through a separate approval process with checks on the source of a player’s money, and only a small number of customers qualify.

How the German Rules Affect a Bonus

Because slots are limited to €1 a spin for most players and five seconds a game, wagering takes time. A €100 bonus with a 30x requirement means €3,000 in bets, which at €1 a spin is 3,000 spins, or more than four hours of play at the minimum pace. Before claiming an offer, check how many times it must be wagered, how long you have to complete it, and whether your deposits count towards the €1,000 monthly limit you share with every other licensed site.

Tax-Free Winnings and the 5.3% Stake Tax

Recreational players in Germany pay no income tax on gambling winnings. The tax is charged to the operator instead: 5.3% of the stakes on virtual slots, online poker and sports betting. Because it is levied on every bet rather than on the casino’s profit, it applies even to rounds the player wins. How other countries tax winnings is compared in do you pay tax on casino winnings?

OASIS Self-Exclusion and the Panic Button

OASIS is the nationwide exclusion register. A self-exclusion lasts at least three months, and if you do not choose a period it runs for a year; you can apply online to the Regierungspräsidium Darmstadt or ask any licensed provider to enter you. Licensed online casinos, betting shops, arcades and lottery companies must check it, while unlicensed sites are not connected to it at all. Every licensed site must also display a panic button that blocks you for 24 hours straight away. Registers in other countries are compared in self-exclusion registers explained.

The April 2026 Court Ruling on Losses at Unlicensed Casinos

On 16 April 2026 the Court of Justice of the European Union ruled in case C-440/23, brought over a German player’s losses at two Malta-licensed operators between 2019 and July 2021. The Court held that Germany’s former ban on online casino games was compatible with EU law, that a Maltese licence did not make the offer legal in Germany, and that EU law does not prevent a contract with an unlicensed operator from being declared void or a player from claiming back lost stakes. Whether a particular claim succeeds is a matter for national courts under German law.

How Germany Acts Against Unlicensed Sites

The GGL’s enforcement focuses on money and advertising. Its 2025 activity report described more than 30 orders requiring payment service providers to block transactions to unlicensed operators, along with advertising bans against affiliate websites backed by fines of up to €50,000. In 2024 alone it ran 148 cease and desist procedures over illegal gambling advertising. For a player, the reliable check is the GGL’s own published list of licensed operators.

Players in neighbouring markets face different systems; see online casinos in Austria and online casinos in Switzerland.