Is online gambling legal in Germany?

Online gambling is legal in Germany, but it is strictly regulated under the Interstate Treaty on Gambling 2021 (GlüStV 2021). This federal treaty legalized online sports betting, virtual slot machines, and online poker nationwide, provided that operators obtain a license from the German authorities. The Joint Gambling Authority of the federal states (GGL) is the central body responsible for licensing and supervising these online gambling offerings.

The legal framework imposes several key restrictions to protect players, including a €1,000 monthly deposit limit across all licensed providers for each player, a €1 per spin stake limit on online slots, and a five-second minimum spin duration. Furthermore, the regulation of online casino games, which includes table games like roulette and blackjack, is delegated to the individual federal states.

Each state can decide whether to create a state-run monopoly for these games or to issue a limited number of licenses to private companies. This dual approach means that the availability of legal online casino games can vary from state to state. In summary, online gambling is legal in Germany within a regulated environment, with a clear distinction between federally licensed activities and state-controlled online casinos.