Online casinos in Germany: what is allowed by law and how to check a license

Online casinos in Germany operate under strict rules. The local market is defined by a shared deposit limit, a self-exclusion database check, and a ban on daytime advertising.

The State Treaty on Gambling (GlüStV 2021) came into force on July 1, 2021, and from that point virtual slots became a legal product (as of 10/2026, GGL regulator). The market is overseen by a dedicated authority of the federal states.

Below we will look at which games are allowed, how to verify a casino license, and which limits you will encounter already at registration.

How the online casino market in Germany works

💡 In short:

• A legal casino obtains a license and is added to the official whitelist.
• Players are subject to a shared monthly deposit limit and a self-exclusion database check.
• Whitelist of licensed operators: 10/2026, according to the GGL regulator.

Licenses in Germany are issued for virtual slots, online poker, and sports betting. Each permit is tied to the operator, not to the website brand, and is granted after a review.

The provider must connect to state control systems, otherwise it will not receive a license and will not be able to operate with German players.

The market is overseen by the Gemeinsame Glücksspielbehörde der Länder (GGL). This is the joint regulator of all federal states, and it also publishes the list of permitted operators and issues warnings to violators.

The purpose of regulation is twofold. The state protects players from dishonest operators and at the same time fights the shadow market, which pays no taxes and does not follow German rules.

You can check an operator in a minute. The regulator maintains an open list of permitted operators, and you will read about that list below.

Which games are allowed and which are not

The license does not cover everything that foreign sites show: legal German casinos offer virtual slots, online poker, and sports betting.

Live tables with roulette and blackjack are not covered by this license. These games are regulated separately by the federal states, so they are not available in a service with a virtual slots license.

Virtual slots operate within strict technical limits. The stake per spin is capped at €1, at least five seconds must pass between spins, and autoplay and jackpots are prohibited (as of 10/2026, breakdown of GlüStV rules).

These restrictions slow down the game, and with it the risk. You cannot start a series of automatic spins and you will not see a promised jackpot, which usually drives engagement.

The list of allowed games is shorter than on offshore sites.

How to check a casino: whitelist and reviews

The main reference point for a player is the official whitelist. The regulator publishes it as required by law and updates it as licenses are issued and revoked (as of 10/2026, GGL regulator).

The list is free and open: you open the page, find the operator name, and immediately understand whether the site is legal.

Besides the official list, themed services also compile selections. The service casinochap.com publishes a review of online casinos for Germany on a page addressed to German players.

Such reviews help compare offers, but only the regulator confirms a license. So check the decision against the whitelist, and use the review as a first reference point.

The check takes a few minutes but saves money. On an illegal site you get neither German protection nor a reliable channel for disputing a payout.

Limits and player protection

The key restriction concerns money. The shared deposit limit is €1,000 per month and applies across all licensed operators at once (as of 10/2026, GGL regulator).

The threshold cannot be bypassed by registering with several casinos. The system counts deposits in total, so splitting the amount across different services will not work.

The second protection tool, the OASIS self-exclusion database, works at the player's own request. The application is free, and after the block no legal operator will accept you (as of 10/2026, GGL reference).

There are also less visible mechanisms: operators must offer personal limit settings and a pause button so you can stop before spending more than planned.

The limit can be lowered at your own request. Operators must allow players to reduce the threshold, and this is a working way to keep spending under control.

Advertising and bonuses: strict limits

Gambling advertising in Germany is restricted by hours. Virtual slots, poker, and casino games cannot be advertised on the internet and on television from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. (as of 10/2026, breakdown of §5 GlüStV).

The restrictions also affect bonuses: operators cannot freely promote welcome packages the way offshore sites do.

Therefore, daytime advertising of slots and poker should not exist in the German segment.

There is one practical conclusion. If a site promises a bonus loudly and around the clock, check its license. A legal provider keeps marketing within the law and does not cross those lines for a click.

Risks and responsible gambling

Gambling involves the risk of losing money, and a license does not remove that risk. It means something else: the operator follows the rules and is supervised by the regulator.

Germany has a comprehensive support system: gambling addiction counseling is free, and you can sign up anonymously.

If gambling has stopped being entertainment, there is self-exclusion through OASIS. It blocks access to all legal operators at once, not just one.

⁉️🤔 Frequently asked questions

Are online casinos legal in Germany?

Yes, some casinos have operated under a license since the regulated market launched. Virtual slots, online poker, and sports betting are allowed. Check the operator against the regulator's whitelist: if the operator is not there, the casino operates without a German permit.

Which games are available in legal casinos?

Licensed casinos offer virtual slots and online poker. Live tables with roulette and blackjack are not covered by the license. For slots, the law sets strict limits: a capped stake per spin, a minimum pause between spins, and a ban on autoplay.

How much money can I deposit per month?

The monthly deposit limit is shared across all licensed casinos. Registering with several services does not bypass the threshold: the system counts deposits in total. An individual operator may also set a lower limit for you.

How do I check a casino license?

Open the whitelist on the GGL regulator's website and find the operator name. This is the official list of licensed operators maintained by the Gemeinsame Glücksspielbehörde der Länder. If the operator is not on the list, the site does not have a German license either.

What is OASIS?

OASIS is the name of the state self-exclusion database. At the player's request, it blocks access to all legal operators at once, and they must refuse to let the player gamble. The application can be submitted free of charge. The tool was created to protect people with gambling addiction.

In short: how to choose an online casino in Germany

The choice comes down to one check. Find the operator in the regulator's whitelist, and if it is not there, the other parameters no longer matter.

Next comes the game selection. Virtual slots, poker, and sports betting are available in legal casinos, while live roulette tables are not.

Check the chosen site against the GGL whitelist before registering. That way you know in advance that you are dealing with a licensed service and protection under German law.