You can play in online casinos in Germany from PC and mobile devices on iOS and Android. Sites work on cross-licenses. Players can contact the technical support of the resource, which works in German and English. Sites with international licenses are secure — players' rights protected by the regulatory authority issued the permit.
Online casinos in Germany
Licenses for operating online casinos in Germany are temporarily not issued. Until January 2020, 12 resources legally worked. They received permission in 2012 in the province of Schleswig-Holstein.
The country's gambling legislation prohibits the work of interactive institutions with gambling entertainment. In 2021, the Federal Administrative Court will decide on the legality of online resources' operation with the domain .de. You can play on resources with cross-licenses.
Legal regulations online casinos in Germany
Online casino license | Schleswig-Holstein |
Law | Interstate Treaty on Gambling (2012 г.) |
Tax for operators | Over 80% of the profit |
Winning tax for players | No |
Sanctions for operators | Art. 284 and 285 German Criminal Code. The punishment depends on the severity of the crime, the county. |
Languages | German, English |
Payment systems | Visa, MasterCard, PayPal, Skrill, Neteller, WebMoney |
Regulation and Licensing
Casinos in Germany operate under licenses issued by other jurisdictions. Permissions give Germans access to virtual gambling establishments, which work under international treaties between EU countries.
German law prohibits online activities with a national license. Until 2020, online casinos were legal, but now (until 2021), their status is not confirmed.
The government of the Schleswig-Holstein issued licenses for activities. The federal law Interstate Treaty regulated them on gambling and by-laws of the Trade Regulation Act and Gaming Ordinance.
Schleswig-Holstein County Licenses
Germany divided into 16 central regions. In 2012, each county government could amend the fundamental law governing online gambling. Fifteen areas agreed with the ban on virtual resources. But Schleswig-Holstein began to resist the law.
The county government has petitioned the Federal Court to lift the ban. The document was requested to amend the law. The district asked to create a single legislation governing gambling software: permission for all entertainment and individual license issuance. The petition argued with high taxes — state profits.
While the court was considering the petition, the Schleswig-Holstein district-issued 48 licenses for six years. After an unfavorable decision, 36 canceled. The remaining 12 worked for eight years (6 permits and two renewals) — expiration in January 2020. Online and stationary sports bets with a fixed coefficient are legal. You can bet on the part of a sporting event or its outcome.
Until the beginning of 2020, 12 sites legally worked:
- PokerStars,
- 888,
- bwin.party,
- Bet365,
- Bet-at-home,
- Tipico,
- Skill On Net,
- Merkur,
- Bwin GVC,
- Three casinos — corporation Gauselmann Group Merkur Gaming).
Licenses for sports betting at last issued in 2012 — the issuance of permits was suspended until early 2020, which led to many lawsuits. In 2013, the government created a text for a new license standard. The document began to work in January 2020. But permissions have not yet been issued because of the coronavirus epidemic.
In 2017, two virtual software vendors and representatives of the Schleswig-Holstein County filed a lawsuit against the German government with the Federal Administrative Court. The reason was the allegedly unauthorized prohibition of online casinos. In October of that year, judges confirmed the legality of the ban, which is consistent with national and European law.
Representatives of the federal district of Schleswig-Holstein at the beginning of 2020 again filed a petition to review the ban on online casinos. Until June 30, 2021, a final answer will not be received. Twelve licensees will either obtain a new license or become illegal.
Technical Support Contacts for Players and Affiliates
A player from Germany can contact the international support team. He can hope to pay the winnings. At the national level, technical support contacts not provided.
Rehabilitation of addicted players in Germany is carried out by private and public clinics.
Online casinos in Germany are officially banned. But under the European Union Free Trade Agreement, sites with international licenses operate on the territory of the state.
Each operator independently adjusts the limits for withdrawing funds for a week or a month. The maximum possible amount for withdrawal depends on the payment method.
Directives of German banks prohibit the withdrawal of funds from different online casinos. But, each resource has a transfer of winnings to an electronic wallet (for example, PayPal, Skrill). You can withdraw any amount from it, regardless of the currency. The conversion is automatic. The player loses a certain percentage of the commission for using electronic money but still gets a win.