Top Casinos and Best Banking Options for German Players

GGL is the New Regulatory Body

The new regulatory body in Germany was established in December 2022. Gemeinsamen Glücksspielbehörde der Länder (GGL) officially took over all regulatory tasks from individual federal states in Germany in January 2023. The new regulatory body is responsible for issuing gambling licenses and tackling illegal gambling in the country.

In January 2023, GGL conditionally approved almost 50 more certificates for online slots and poker. The total number of individual game applications for online poker and slots is 3,500.

Up til now, the regulator has greenlighted some 600 requests. Also, there are 25 providers with valid gambling licenses in Germany added to the white list of regulated operators in the country.

GGL confirmed it will continue fighting illegal gambling and revoking licenses if they spot any violation of terms. The regulator also plans to establish a public prosecutor’s office in Halle to process complaints against illegal gambling operators.

Almost 150 cases of illegal gambling and nearly the same number of cases of promoting illegal gambling have been filed with the GGL.

The main goals of the GGL in 2023 include providing greater transparency for players and introducing player protection measures to prevent gambling addictions.

German Market Updates

• May 2024: Germany’s loss reimbursements lawsuit is sent to the European court
• April 2024: Germany to decide on reimbursing illegal gambling losses
• July 2023: GGL draws initial conclusions and presents a seal for legal gambling.
• January 2023: GGL greenlights almost 50 more individual gambling licenses for online slots and poker games.
• June 2022: Online casino sites with a German license need to pay a 5.3% tax on the turnover from online slots and poker.

Very few casinos in Germany have a local license. Those that do are forced to lower game RTPs. As a result, many German players turn to casinos with questionable legal statuses or casino sites without a local license. Online casinos accepting German players not licensed by a national regulatory body usually hold licenses from other regulators with a great reputation in the online casino industry.

A recommended German online casino will typically hold a license from the Malta Gaming Authority, as it’s one of the safest gaming licenses in the world. They might also have a license from Curaçao, UK, or Gibraltar, which are also considered strict and very thorough when it comes to supervising the license holder’s operations, especially UKGC and Gibraltar.

While German players have been excluded from using the services of PayPal, for example, they are left with plenty of other good possibilities, including Sofort, MuchBetter, Giropay, Apple Pay, SEPA and so on. Sofort and Giropay are particularly suitable for online casino players from Germany as these are regarded as local payment methods, and many Germans use these banking options for online transfers regardless of whether they engage in online gambling or not.

You can fully make use of the market potential by opting for one of these two methods: Sofort is a rapid online banking processor available primarily to German players but also to other German-speaking communities like Belgium, Austria and Switzerland. Giropay is an internet payment service specifically intended for German users.

While you are not obligated to use either of them, you should be aware that going for local methods or banking systems that are popular in your country is something that most seasoned casino gamers would advise. Why? Simply because you will find them at casinos that accept players from Germany, you will be able to conveniently use them for deposits and withdrawals and you are most likely familiar with how they work anyway, not to mention the grand benefit of playing in local currency. Read below what are the benefits of choosing local payment options at German casinos.

Sofort

Sofort is a seamless payment method widely embraced by German casinos, offering players a secure and efficient way to deposit funds. With this payment option, German players can instantly transfer funds from their bank accounts to their casino accounts, eliminating the wait times associated with traditional banking methods.

Sofort does not require you to create an account to deposit at the best online casinos in Germany. The reason for this is that the company does not store any funds. Instead, Sofort functions as an added party in the classic transfer process.

Its integration with numerous banks across various countries ensures widespread accessibility. That’s why the straightforward process requires minimal effort, allowing players to focus on enjoying their favorite games.

Giropay

Giropay is really easy to use, and that’s one of the main reasons why it is so popular at online casinos in Germany. With Giropay, players can enjoy the convenience of instant transactions directly from their bank accounts, eliminating the need for credit cards or third-party e-wallets. Players can easily deposit funds into their casino accounts, enabling them to start playing their favourite games immediately.

All Giropay transfers are processed immediately, in real time. This means that German casinos accepting Giropay get a confirmation for the transaction right away, and you can see a change in your balance almost instantly. Giropay is a great payment option for players who want an easy and fast way to pay at the best online casinos in Germany.

Fedor Holz is a German professional poker player originating from Saarbrücken. High roller tournaments are his specialty, and he climbed to the top of the German all-time money list in 2020 with live tournament winnings of over $32,500,000.

Holz is known as the CrownUpGuy online, and he’s been successful playing both live and online poker. However, he has been less active in the past years, shifting his focus to a project dedicated to mindfulness, meditation and life coaching techniques called Primed Mind.

The German retired tennis player Boris Becker fairs well in poker, too. While his earnings as a poker player can’t compare to tournament prizes during his tennis career, Boom Boom Becker made a name for himself in the poker scene.

Boris Becker turned to professional poker in 2007 and has earned around $117,000 so far. As of late, Becker has been playing the role of an ambassador for German poker sites, appearing under the nickname Boris_Becker.

Also a professional poker player, Dominik Nitsche originally came from Minden. He began playing poker online at 16, under his mother’s name. As he progressed, his sites of choice became PokerStars and Full Tilt, where he won $7.045 million in total.

As of 2022, the recorded winnings of Nitsche amount to over $19,100,000. He’s won four WSOP bracelets, and his well-known nickname is Bounatirou.