The GGL demands more effort from legal sites
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28 Jan 2026 •
Reading time: 4 minutes The fight against illegal online gambling in Germany has become one of the main challenges facing the gambling industry. Faced with an underground market that continues to thrive despite strict regulation, the Gemeinsame Glücksspielbehörde der Länder (GGL) is stepping up its calls for action and urging legal players to step up their involvement.
A solemn appeal from the GGL to legal operators
At the recent ICE international exhibition in Barcelona, the GGL issued a clear warning: technical and legal measures alone are no longer enough to curb the growth of illegal gambling. At a round table discussion, Nadja Wierzejewski, head of the authority, stressed that close collaboration between regulators and legitimate operators was essential to reduce the influence of illegal offers.
She explained that measures such as payment blocks, advertising bans or legal action were not enough, calling on legal operators to distance themselves clearly from any illegal activity and to be vigilant about their partnership chains.
An illegal market that is still too powerful
Despite national regulations that are considered among the strictest in Europe, illegality continues to gain ground. According to the GGL’s estimates, based on its 2024 activity report, the illegal market represents around 25% of the total online market – or between 500 and 600 million euros in illegal revenue.
This proportion is far from unanimous. Some trade associations, notably the German Sports Betting Association (DSWV), claim that the actual number of illegal sites is 11 times higher than the number of licensed sites, an indicator that suggests an extremely strong black market presence in the country.
Despite the efforts of the authorities, a large proportion of players continue to turn to unauthorised platforms, attracted by more attractive terms and conditions, more generous bonuses or fewer restrictions. This phenomenon is particularly prevalent in high-risk segments such as sports betting and online slot machines.
Since the 2021 Interstate Gambling Treaty came into force, Germany has imposed strict rules on licensed operators, including low betting limits, strict advertising restrictions, deposit caps and intense surveillance. While these measures are designed to protect players, they can also have counter-productive effects. The constraints imposed on legitimate operators, combined with conditions that are often considered too rigid by players, have increased the attractiveness of illegal platforms.
Technical measures strengthened, but still insufficient
To contain the expansion of the illegal market, the GGL has taken a number of technical measures. These include the blocking of more than 1,700 illegal sites, as well as restrictions on advertising via powerful platforms such as Google, which have partially reduced players’ exposure to unauthorised offers.
For example, since September 2024, Google Ads has been restricted to operators with a German licence, which has led to a significant reduction in surreptitious advertising in search engine results.
However, these measures are also showing their limits. A decision by the German Federal Administrative Court recently restricted the use of IP blocking imposed on ISPs, forcing the GGL to redirect its actions towards the hosts of illegal sites rather than technical intermediaries.
In Belgium, more than 700 sites are on the Gaming Commission’s blacklist, but some ISPs do not block them, creating gaps in player protection.
The key role of legal players
In addition to technical blocking, the GGL is now emphasising the proactive involvement of legitimate operators. They are invited to adopt rigorous internal practices, share their data and take part in collective efforts to identify and report illegal offers.
This collaborative approach aims to move towards a more transparent and secure ecosystem, where the distinction between reliable legal offers and dangerous underground platforms is better defined for players. According to the GGL, such cooperation would not only strengthen controls, but also public confidence in the German legal sector.
The battle against illegal online gambling in Germany is far from won. Although the authorities are seeing progress and controls are being stepped up, the road to a totally transparent and secure market is still full of pitfalls. The confrontation between legality and illegality reveals the tensions in a rapidly evolving sector, where economic interests, player protection and regulatory strategies collide.