GGL Calls for Flexible German Gambling Rules After Five-Year Review Shows Black Market Pressure

The Joint Gambling Authority of the Federal States, known as the GGL, has urged more flexible gambling rules to counter a rapidly expanding black market that threatens the licensed sector in Germany.

The regulator, which maintains an estimated workforce of 100 people, published a five-year review of the market and called for adaptations to marketing conditions alongside stronger action against illegal operators. Ronald Benter, a board member of the GGL, detailed the authority’s progress since its initial mandate, according to reporting by GamblingNews.

From Mandate to Operational Oversight

Benter stated: “Five years ago, there was a political mandate. Today, there is a fully operational, nationwide specialised authority. We had to recruit staff, build structures and expertise, and simultaneously shape a completely new area of ​​regulatory oversight in practice.”

The GGL has assembled specialist knowledge and technological capabilities to supervise the iGaming market. The review frames these gains as essential to making the licensed market more competitive and safer.

Enforcement Results and Measures of Success

Actions against black market operators increased from 68 in 2022 to 287 in 2025. The GGL reviewed more than 6,300 websites by the end of 2025.

The regulator does not gauge success by the number of checks performed. It instead measures results by the enforcement actions successfully completed against illegal operators and their backers.

The findings underscore the GGL‘s view that greater regulatory flexibility is required to address an evolving illegal market.

Reporting: GamblingNews

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