Germany’s Joint Gambling Authority of the Federal States (GGL) is asking for larger flexibility in playing regulation as it marks 5 years since its institution. The regulator says on-line playing is altering quicker than the nation’s state-treaty framework will be amended.
The GGL now has round 100 workers and oversees a regulated market containing 129 licensed operators and intermediaries. Those licences cowl 229 authorised playing web sites.
Ronald Benter, a member of the GGL’s government board, stated the authority has developed its experience and infrastructure since its creation.
“Five years ago, there was a political mandate. Today, there is a fully operational, nationwide specialised authority. We had to recruit staff, build structures and expertise, and simultaneously shape a completely new area of regulatory oversight in practice.
“Today, we possess the experience, specialist knowledge, and technical capabilities to effectively supervise a highly digitised online gambling market with an international character. This marks the starting point for the next stage of development.”
Regulator Points To Faster Market Changes
The GGL needs the analysis of Germany’s 2021 State Treaty on Gambling to look at how regulation can reply extra shortly to modifications within the on-line sector. The authority has highlighted developments in enterprise fashions, know-how and unlawful playing as areas the place change can happen quicker than legislative processes.
The regulator has additionally stated it needs larger skilled discretion inside the present authorized framework. It plans to pursue that goal with its Administrative Council, which represents the pursuits of Germany’s federal stiates and contributes to the GGL’s improvement.
The GGL’s five-year evaluation additionally factors to the enlargement of supervision over licensed operators. During 2025, the authority performed greater than 600 supervisory checks overlaying areas such as participant safety, promoting and playing product design. It has revoked two licences since starting operations.
Enforcement Against Illegal Gambling Expands
The authority has considerably elevated its motion in opposition to unlawful playing. Prohibition proceedings climbed from 68 in 2022 to 287 in 2025. By the tip of 2025, the GGL had examined roughly 6,300 web sites for unlawful playing or associated promoting.
Its enforcement method more and more covers corporations linked to unlawful operators. Payment service suppliers, promoting companions, affiliate networks and internet hosting corporations have all come beneath larger scrutiny.
The GGL reported that 1,843 unlawful web sites have been now not accessible from Germany on the finish of 2025 following prohibitions or community blocks. Measures involving fee suppliers additionally affected 178 web sites, whereas 254 unlawful suppliers had stopped serving the German market by year-end.
GGL Reports 77% Regulated Market Share
The regulator cited a scientific channelisation examine that estimated regulated gives accounted for round 77% of Germany’s on-line playing market in 2024. The GGL stated the remaining unregulated exercise means unlawful playing stays a seamless enforcement concern.
The authority additionally operates LUGAS, its central technical system for participant safety and market monitoring. Its databases contained 5.3 million registered gamers on the finish of 2025.
The GGL stated future regulation ought to permit supervision to maintain tempo with market developments whereas sustaining participant safety and enforcement in opposition to criminality.
Source:
“Five years of GGL: The specialist authority has established itself and is effective“, gluecksspiel-behoerde.de, September 22, 2026
