The German State Gambling Regulators (GGL) recently released the 2024 annual market activity report, confirming that the total annual gambling revenue (GGR) in Germany reached 14.4 billion euros, a 5% increase year-on-year. The report comprehensively reviews the latest developments in Germany's legal and illegal gambling markets and reveals the focus of regulation, market size, black market share, and future plans.
The report notes that the total tax and related fee income for 2024 amounted to 7 billion euros, of which the regulated GGL licensed operators contributed about 4 billion euros, accounting for 28%. Additionally, GGL processed 230 license applications throughout the year, covering approximately 141 entities.
In terms of illegal gambling, GGL disclosed that there are currently 858 German-language gambling websites on the black market, involving 212 unlicensed operators, accounting for about 3% to 4% of the market share, valued between 500 million to 600 million euros. However, GGL emphasizes that illegal online gambling now accounts for 25% of the entire online gambling market, posing a significant regulatory challenge.
In 2024, GGL reviewed 1,700 illegal websites, of which 657 were geographically blocked under the Digital Services Act, and 231 were officially banned. Notably, since September 2024, legal licensed operators have been allowed to advertise on the Google platform, which helps combat illegal site traffic.
In terms of player protection, the Administrative Court of Mainz approved GGL's proposed "harm markers" system in 2024, covering higher deposit limits and other protective measures. GGL is also advancing the deployment of a national security server to enhance real-time monitoring of operational activities.
Looking forward to 2025, GGL states that it will continue to advance the optimization of the legal framework and strengthen cooperation with domestic and international law enforcement and technical departments. GGL Chairman Ronald Bent emphasized, "Containing illegal gambling services is a protracted battle. We will weaken the survival space of illegal operators through a combination of technology, policy, and collaboration."
