Since the 2021 Interstate Gambling Treaty (GlüStV) came into force, German online casino players have had to comply with a strict rule: a monthly deposit limit of €1,000, applicable nationwide to all operators. The government’s aim behind this measure is to combat gambling addiction and provide a firmer framework for the fast-growing digital gambling industry.
But this apparently simple limit conceals a much more complex reality. Exceptions exist, and some players manage to obtain ceilings of up to €30,000 per month. Who can really deposit more, and under what conditions?
When and how do you exceed €1,000?
The ceiling is not absolute. It is possible to increase it under certain conditions:
- Via your player account, without operator intervention, you can increase to €3,000 per month after a request, but this triggers a seven-day waiting period before activation.
- With the operator’s agreement, after a credit check including a Schufa-G credit or proof of income, you can obtain a monthly deposit of up to €10,000. In very special cases, this ceiling can go up to €30,000 for certain big spenders via niche operators (e.g. Lapalingo, Lord Lucky, Tigerspin).
But beware: this verification is not systematic, and depends heavily on the documents submitted. Self-declarations are not enough. The use of Schufa-G, without solid banking documents, has drawn criticism from some addiction experts, who see it as an unreliable way of assessing a player’s real economic capacity.
Why is this regulation so controversial?
In practice, this increase in the ceiling remains largely theoretical. Not only do few players obtain clear validation of their economic capacity, but above all, the technical restrictions on virtual slot machines make it difficult even to reach the basic threshold.
Online slot machines are subject to two specific rules:
- A maximum stake of €1 per spin
- A mandatory five-second delay between each spin
These measures are designed to curb compulsive behaviour and reduce the intensity of gambling, in the spirit of protecting players. They considerably slow down the pace of gambling, to the point where even an assiduous player would find it very difficult to use up his entire monthly limit, be it €1,000, €10,000 or more.
This paradox is fuelling heated debate among regulators and operators in the sector. Several experts point to an inconsistency between the legal possibility of high deposits and the very structure of the gameplay, which makes it impossible to use these amounts in practice. In other words, ceilings are authorised but structurally prevented from being reached.
Ongoing issues up to 2026
An interim evaluation of the treaty began in December 2023, exploring in particular the effectiveness of the current ceilings in the face of competition from offshore casinos, which are poorly regulated and attractive for their flexibility.
The central issue is the true economic capacity of a player, which is not legally defined in the current texts. A precise definition should be adopted before 2026, so that operators know better how to deal with requests for an increase in the limit in complete legality.In addition, the limit on bets on slot machines (€1 per spin) and the thorny issue of IP blocking are also among the points under discussion for this overall review of the regulatory framework.