Germany’s gambling authority approves higher stake limits for online slots

Germany’s Joint Gambling Authority of the Federal States (GGL) has approved an amendment allowing licensed online slot operators to raise stakes beyond the previous €1 ($1.15) per-spin limit, effective this July.

The €1 cap remains the statutory default, but GGL-licensed operators can now apply for approval to offer stakes of up to €3 or €5 per spin, subject to player eligibility requirements.

Players must be at least 21 years old to access the €3 limit. The €5 limit is reserved for players who have shown no indicators of “problematic” gambling behavior within the preceding 90 days.

Operators that implement the higher limits are required to conduct monitoring of player activity both before and after any increase takes effect. Where signs of harmful gambling patterns are detected, operators must apply intervention measures, which may include contacting the player directly, limiting their gambling activity, or suspending their account.

The GGL stated that the adjustment is designed to account for evolving market conditions while remaining consistent with the goals of Germany’s State Treaty on Gambling (GlüStV), including “maintaining a high level of player protection within a regulated gambling market” and preventing gambling addiction.

Under the terms of the Interstate Treaty, the GGL holds authority to adjust staking limits in response to market developments, though the change required sign-off from representatives of the 16 federal states on the authority’s administrative board.

Operators have welcomed the decision as an indication that regulators are open to revisiting rules that have limited the competitiveness of the licensed market against unlicensed alternatives.

“The federal states are demonstrating their willingness to regularly review the practical impact of existing regulations and to make adjustments where necessary to achieve the objectives of the Interstate Treaty on Gambling. We hope that this decision will encourage more players to return to the regulated market,” said Simon Priglinger-Simader, Senior Regulatory Affairs Manager DACH at Entain Group and Vice President of the German Online Casino Association (DOCV).

Priglinger-Simader said the decision points to recognition among state officials that the regulated sector has faced difficulty competing with unlicensed operators.

“It’s clear that the states wouldn’t have made this change if they hadn’t seen the issue with channelisation and with the limited products we have been offering,” he told iGB.

The stake limit change comes ahead of a review of the Interstate Treaty, expected to conclude by year-end. The review, conducted by representatives of Germany’s 16 federal states, marks the first assessment of the legislation since it took effect in 2021. It will examine whether the treaty has met core objectives, including directing players toward the licensed market and curbing problem gambling.

The DOCV has cited an online channelization rate in the mid-double digits as evidence that current rules have not achieved their intended effect, arguing this outcome works against player protection goals rather than supporting them.

“What has changed is a growing awareness that the current framework is not fully achieving one of its central objectives: creating a sufficiently attractive legal market,” said Luka Andric, managing director of the German Sports Betting Association (DSWV). “Rules that have proven ineffective – particularly in terms of channelisation – need to be revised or removed.”