German gambling regulator thanks citizens: help in tackling illegal gambling

The German gambling regulator GGL (Gemeinsamen Glücksspielbehörde der Länder) has thanked citizens for their efforts in reporting illegal gambling practices. Since January 2023, they have received around 1,500 reports about suspicious gambling sites and activities. These reports play an important role in the fight against illegal gambling.

So far, the GGL has scoured more than 1,860 websites and examined 483 gambling providers and advertisers. This has led to 113 bans. As a result, 63 providers have stopped their services or removed suspicious advertisements. Without these reports from citizens, this would probably have taken much longer.

Problems at legal gambling companies too: the GGL’s work does not stop

It is not just about illegal providers. The GGL has also discovered things that were not right at legal gambling companies. Think of errors in payout systems, advertisements that violated the rules, or providers that did not properly enforce deposit limits. This shows how big the challenge is to ensure that gambling companies comply with the rules and protect players properly.

How public reports help tackle illegal gambling

About half of the reports concerned suspected illegal online gambling activities. The rest concerned legal providers, where things also went wrong. Since the GGL became fully responsible for regulating the German gambling market at the beginning of 2023, the public’s help has been crucial. Together with their own investigations, these reports have ensured that they were able to tackle illegal activities quickly.

Ronald Benter, one of the directors of the GGL, expressed his appreciation for all the reports. He emphasized that these reports not only help to tackle illegal gambling, but also to raise awareness of gambling addiction. 

“We are all trying to prevent gambling addiction. Every report helps.” Ronald Benter

The fight against illegal gambling on the black market continues

Despite the efforts of the GGL, the fight against illegal gambling remains a challenge. The GGL estimates that around 4% of total gambling revenue in Germany comes from illegal activities. However, the Deutscher Online Casinoverband (DOCV) thinks differently. They claim that offshore gambling sites control as much as 20% of the online gambling market.

This debate flared up after a 2023 study by the University of Leipzig. The study found that just over half of gambling activities took place via legal platforms. Although the whistleblowing system provides useful information, the GGL pointed out that many reports often contain too little detail to allow for thorough investigation.

GGL provides tips to make reports even more effective

To help citizens make better reports, the GGL has published a guide on how to optimally use the whistleblowing system. The guide also explains how to recognize legal gambling providers and what kind of information is needed to complete a report.