Germany’s GGL Revises Its Payment Strategy to Combat Illegal Operations

18 july 2025
Author: James Burton

On June 27th, 2025, the gambling association Gemeinsame Glücksspielbehörde der Länder (GGL) published its annual report for 2024. The document contains detailed data indicating that illegal operators are gradually withdrawing from the country’s gaming market.

Key Excerpts from GGL’s Analytics

Casino payment system in Germany: GGL report

The organisation has adopted a complex approach to addressing the issue of unlawful activities in the real-money entertainment industry.

This strategy and its results were reflected in the report:

  1. Legal restrictions. The regulator revealed that 459 orders to terminate uncertified online platforms were generated during the year. Over 650 web resources were blocked due to inconsistency in geolocation data.
  2. Accession of the problem. In total, shadow brands account for 25% of the entire gambling market. The department acknowledged that this is a very significant figure and its reduction requires serious efforts from all stakeholders.
  3. Cooperation with related parties. Another measure to combat illegal portals was interaction with casino payment system providers. In 2024, the regulator made 43 financial aggregators leave the black segment. This move has affected the activities of 53 gaming companies and 165 entertainment websites.

Nuances of Gambling Payments in Germany

The market has a unique feature: the GGL agency independently creates lists of approved money-processing tools for the country’s gaming sector. Additionally, it is not suppliers of fintech products who must apply for permission, but operators who want to integrate their transaction-processing offers.

Given the extensive bureaucratic red tape, many online casinos are reluctant to participate in this program and prefer to work with a limited number of already authorised aggregators. Meanwhile, offshore platforms offer a fairly wide range of payment options to the audience.

One example of such a protracted procedure is the legalisation of the direct carrier billing product, created by DIMOCO, a provider of personalised fintech services. Obtaining permission from GGL for the solution and passing all compliance checks took about 5 years.

Another characteristic of the German market is the stable cultural tradition of cash operations. According to the report of the analytical agency Worldpay, in 2024, the use of physical money at land-based points of sale decreased to approximately 15% globally. Yet, in the local market, the figure was much higher.

For comparison, the numbers were as follows:

  • the UK — 10%;
  • France — 12%;
  • Germany — 35%.

Blocking the Giropay system, which was very popular among the population, has shaken the industry. Initially, it was assumed that the pan-European Wero product would become an alternative, but it never gained widespread adoption in the country.

Forecasts for Industry Development

Gambling business in Germany: forecasts

Bettina Sommer, DIMOCO’s Senior Vice President of Sales, believes that Germany is ready for revising established norms and for a large-scale transformation of its payment system. Her team is expanding the list of industries that can use their product. The representative cited the joint brand Zahl einfach per Handyrechnung with fast transfers via mobile bills as a good example of working in a new, improved format.

GGL’s annual report has become proof that the outdated model fosters the growth of the shadow segment. Now, the regulator faces a global task of making licensed operators more attractive to a wider audience and providing them with greater freedom of action.

At Casino Market, you can get more detailed information about the nuances of working in different jurisdictions and order the development of a gambling business in Germany.

Feel free to contact our managers for professional support at all stages, from project licensing to its official launch.

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