Germany online gambling license (GGL)
The EU’s largest regulated online market, licensed by the GGL under the Interstate Treaty on Gambling 2021. Separate nationwide permits cover virtual slots, online poker and sports betting, with strict player limits and a 5.3% tax on stakes; online casino table games stay with the federal states.
- Best for
- Operators targeting a large, strictly regulated EU market
- Who can be licensed
- B2C operators
- Markets it serves
- EU regulated markets
Germany licenses online gambling under the Interstate Treaty on Gambling 2021 (GlüStV 2021). The Joint Gambling Authority of the States (GGL) issues separate nationwide permits for virtual slots, online poker and sports betting, applied for at any time by companies seated in the EU or EEA. Online casino table games are licensed by each federal state, and only Schleswig-Holstein licenses private operators. Permits run five years, then seven on renewal. Operators connect to the LUGAS deposit-limit and OASIS self-exclusion systems, pay a 5.3% tax on stakes and follow strict product limits; foreign licenses are not accepted.
- Status
- Licensing open
- Regulator
- Gemeinsame Glücksspielbehörde der Länder
- Legal basis
- Interstate Treaty on Gambling 2021
- Status checked
- October 16, 2026
Who licenses what in Germany
Germany splits online gambling between a joint authority for the whole country and the 16 federal states. Each product needs its own permit.
Virtual slots
GGL permit for online slot games: €1 per spin by default, at least five seconds per game, no autoplay and no jackpots.
Online poker
GGL permit for player-versus-player poker, with one table at a time unless the GGL allows more.
Sports betting
GGL permit for sports and horse betting on the contests and markets the GGL lists; in-play limited to final-result and next-event bets.
Online casino table games
Roulette, blackjack and similar games are licensed by each federal state. Only Schleswig-Holstein licenses private operators; Bavaria runs a state offer.
Who can hold a GGL permit
| Requirement | Under the GlüStV 2021 |
|---|---|
| Seat | Company seated in the EU or EEA; companies outside the EU/EEA cannot hold a permit |
| Local presence | Without a German seat, a person in Germany authorized to receive documents and represent the operator |
| Ownership | Full disclosure of the ownership chain, including every holder above 5% of capital or voting rights |
| People | Reliability (Zuverlässigkeit) and expertise (Sachkunde) of the applicant and responsible persons |
| Security | Unlimited-term bank guarantee from an EU/EEA bank, scaled to expected turnover |
| Foreign licenses | A license from Malta or another EU state does not replace a German permit |
Systems the GGL checks
Most of the work in a German application is technical. Integration with the central systems must be in place before go-live.
LUGAS
Connection to the central deposit-limit and parallel-play files, which enforce the cross-operator €1,000 monthly deposit limit.
OASIS
Connection to the national self-exclusion register, checked before every player is allowed to play.
Safe server
A data safe the authority can access, with real-time interfaces showing all gaming transactions.
Security concept
An IT security and data protection concept for the gaming platform, built to recognized standards such as ISO 27001.
Compliant games
Games engineered to the statutory limits, such as slot stakes, game speed and the ban on autoplay and jackpots.
Payment and identity
Verified player accounts and payment flows that match the player’s identity.
How the application runs
There is no application deadline: the GGL processes a file once it is complete. Each product needs its own permit.
- 1Products and structureChoose the products, set up or confirm the EU/EEA company and appoint a German representative if needed.
- 2Ownership and peopleOwnership disclosure above 5%, and evidence of reliability and expertise for the company and responsible persons.
- 3Guarantee and security conceptBank guarantee from an EU/EEA bank, and the IT security and data protection concept.
- 4Technical integrationLUGAS and OASIS connection, safe server and games engineered to the statutory limits.
- 5GGL review and permitFiling with the GGL in Halle (Saale), review of the file, then the permit and listing on the GGL whitelist.
Ongoing obligations
- Monthly stake tax returns and payments by the 15th of the following month
- LUGAS deposit-limit and parallel-play checks, and OASIS checks before play
- Product limits for slots and poker, and the sports betting market list
- Advertising rules, including the 06:00 to 21:00 watershed and affiliate pay rules
- AML/CFT duties as an obliged entity under the GwG, supervised by the GGL
- Reporting changes in ownership or responsible persons; permits are not transferable without consent
- Renewal before the five-year term ends
Player limits that shape the product
Deposit limit
€1,000 a month across all operators through LUGAS. A GGL decision rule allows higher limits for players who pass affordability checks until the end of 2026.
Slot stakes
€1 per spin by default. Since July 2026 the GGL lets operators offer up to €3 to players aged 21 and over, and up to €5 after 90 days without signs of problem gambling, with behavior monitoring.
Game rules
Slot games average at least five seconds, with no autoplay and no jackpots; one product at a time across the market.
Tools
A 24-hour panic button and daily, weekly and monthly limits that players can set.
How online gambling is taxed
Stake tax
5.3% of stakes on virtual slots, online poker, sports and horse betting, not of gross gaming revenue.
Effective rate
The tax is calculated on stakes net of the tax itself, about 5.03% of gross stakes.
Filing
Self-assessed and filed monthly, by the 15th of the following month.
VAT
Turnover subject to the stake tax is exempt from VAT.
Advertising and affiliates
Watershed
No TV, radio or internet advertising for virtual slots, online poker or online casino between 06:00 and 21:00.
Sports betting
No advertising during live sports events on the same channel, and no active athletes or officials in promotions.
Affiliates
Affiliate pay that depends on deposits, stakes or losses, such as revenue share, is not allowed; fixed fees per click or customer are. Operators have been fined for ads on affiliate sites that also promoted unlicensed gambling.
Whitelist
Only operators and domains on the GGL whitelist may be promoted. Payment providers and internet providers can be ordered to block the rest.
Courts, enforcement and reform
CJEU, April 2026
The EU Court of Justice held that EU law does not prevent Germany from banning unlicensed online casino and slots, voiding those contracts and letting players reclaim losses from operators in other member states.
Federal Court of Justice
The lead case on player refunds against a Malta-licensed operator (I ZR 216/25) was heard on 17 September 2026; judgment is announced for 28 January 2027.
Treaty amendment
A second amendment to the GlüStV, being ratified by the states in 2026, extends blocking duties to internet access providers and strengthens the GGL’s powers.
Evaluation
The states’ evaluation of the treaty is due by the end of 2026 and may change deposit and product limits.
Weighing Germany against other EU markets? Our European gambling license comparison covers all 27 member states: which products each licenses, the regulators, B2B rules and Finland's 2027 opening.
Compare EU marketsFrequently asked questions
Who issues online gambling licenses in Germany?
The Joint Gambling Authority of the States (GGL) in Halle (Saale) issues nationwide permits for virtual slots, online poker and sports betting. Online casino table games are licensed by the individual federal states.
Can I apply for a German license in 2026?
Yes. GGL permits have no application window: the authority processes a file once it is complete. Each product (virtual slots, online poker, sports betting) needs its own permit.
Can a foreign company get a GGL permit?
A company seated in the EU or EEA can, appointing an authorized representative in Germany if it has no German seat. Companies seated outside the EU/EEA cannot hold a permit, so groups use an EU/EEA subsidiary.
Can I offer online roulette or blackjack in Germany?
Only under a state license. Online casino table games are licensed by each federal state, and only Schleswig-Holstein licenses private operators; Bavaria runs its own state offer.
How long is a German permit valid?
Five years for a first permit and seven years for a subsequent one, unless the GGL sets a shorter term.
How is online gambling taxed in Germany?
At 5.3% of stakes on virtual slots, online poker and betting, filed monthly. Because the tax is levied on stakes rather than gross gaming revenue, it weighs heavily on margins.
What are the player limits?
A €1,000 monthly deposit limit across all operators through LUGAS, €1 per slot spin by default (up to €3 or €5 for qualifying players since July 2026), at least five seconds per game, and no autoplay or jackpots.
Can a Malta-licensed operator serve German players?
No. Only GGL-permitted operators may offer online gambling in Germany. In April 2026 the EU Court of Justice confirmed that players may reclaim losses from unlicensed operators in other member states.
Can affiliates earn revenue share in Germany?
No. Affiliate pay that depends on deposits, stakes or losses is not allowed; fixed fees per click or new customer are. Affiliates may only promote operators on the GGL whitelist.
Do B2B suppliers need a German license?
There is no separate GGL supplier license. Games and systems must meet the technical requirements and are reviewed as part of the operator’s permit, so suppliers work through licensed operators.
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