5 reasons why people play in online casinos

In the past, we at GambleJoe have often reported critically on licensed online casinos in Germany. To put it mildly, our community also often sees some potential for optimisation in the gaming conditions of legal online providers. Today, however, we have specifically set out to look for arguments in favour of German online casinos.

Too low a payout ratio, too meagre a selection of games, no progressive jackpots, too strict player protection conditions - the list of cons of German online casinos is long for many a gaming enthusiast. The fact is, however, that there are also pro arguments, some of which players can benefit from to a great extent. Therefore, despite some disadvantages, it can definitely be worthwhile to play at online casinos with a German licence.

In the following, we would therefore like to list and explain five reasons that speak in favour of online providers operating legally on the market:

Reason 1: There is no threat of criminal prosecution!

We would like to mention the most important argument right at the beginning. Anyone who plays in an online casino with a valid German gambling licence has no reason to fear prosecution. Since the new Interstate Treaty on Gambling (GlüStV 2021) came into force, providers are only allowed to offer online slots and other games if they have a licence from the Joint Gambling Authority of the German federal states (GGL).

Anyone who instead plays in an online casino without a German licence risks being investigated for involvement in illegal gambling. In accordance with Section 285 of the German Criminal Code (StGB), gamblers can expect a fine of up to one hundred and eighty daily rates or a prison sentence of up to six months in the event of a conviction. As recently as April of this year, we at GambleJoe reported on the significant increase in such cases in police statistics. It is often the banks and payment service providers, for example, that send out the corresponding suspicious activity reports and thus get the investigations rolling.

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Reason 2: Unrestricted payment portfolio

The German gambling authority is now trying to prevent payment flows to illegal online casinos with all the means at its disposal. In this context, we at GambleJoe already reported a year ago that the authority's payment blocking was deemed admissible in summary proceedings. As a result, illegal online casinos are finding it increasingly difficult to receive players' deposits. Even today, cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin or Ethereum are often the only accepted means of payment on the black market.

In legal online casinos, on the other hand, there are many more reputable payment methods available. The payment portfolio often includes PayPal, Apple Pay, Google Pay, Sofortüberweisung, Trustly and credit or debit cards (VISA, MasterCard, Maestro), for example.

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Reason 3: Always keep an eye on profits and losses!

In an online casino with a German licence, winnings and losses are always clearly listed. While most illegal online casinos lack such transparency, German online casinos are obliged to clearly display the stakes, winnings and losses of the last 30 days immediately after logging in. This makes it much easier not to lose track and to find out directly how successful you have been in the last 30 days without having to do any research.

At the same time, players in the online casino with a German licence also benefit from well-functioning loss limits. On the legal market, it is generally not possible to deposit more than 1,000 euros per month. This deposit limit applies across all providers and can only be increased upon submission of corresponding proof of income and assets. Furthermore, the maximum permitted stake per game round in legal online casinos is one euro. This maximum stake ensures that excessive losses are not possible within a short period of time.

Back in September, we at GambleJoe asked ourselves how well players in licensed online casinos are protected from gambling addiction and problematic gambling behaviour in general.

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Reason 4: Premium game offer

Another convincing reason to visit legal online casinos is the high-quality range of games on offer. Of course, compared to some illegal online casinos, the purely quantitative selection at legal providers is noticeably smaller. On the other hand, gamblers in German online casinos benefit from premium games that are usually not available from illegal providers.

The virtual slot games from Merkur and Novoline in particular are extremely popular in legal online casinos. These include Eye of Horus, Faust, El Torero, Books & Bulls, Lucky Lady's Charm Deluxe, Sizzling Hot, Dolphin's Pearl and the classic Book of Ra. Consequently, in online casinos with a German licence, the principle of ‘quality over quantity’ applies.

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Reason 5: Special features, bonuses & secure payouts

German online casinos are now coming up with lots of little features to entertain and retain gamblers. In February, for example, GambleJoe reported on BingBong's Slot Academy, which promises very high entertainment value and free spins to boot. We also recently reported on the planned premium membership that gamblers will soon be able to take out at BingBong and JackpotPiraten.

Of course, gambling enthusiasts can also benefit from some attractive bonus offers in legal online casinos. Most legal online casinos currently offer a first deposit bonus of up to 100 euros. Often, an additional 50 to 150 free spins are also granted.

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In this context, the fact that players in legal online casinos benefit from secure payouts should not go unmentioned. The gambling authority ensures that gamblers' funds are kept separate from the rest of the company's assets and also requires providers to provide a security deposit, sometimes worth millions, in order to obtain their licence. If there are problems or delays with payouts, players can lodge a complaint with the GGL.

Conclusion

It goes without saying that all that glitters is not gold. However, the fact is that legal online casinos in Germany have a number of advantages that should not be underestimated. First of all, this includes the fact that gambling is legally permitted here and players do not risk any penalties. In the future, it is to be expected that the pressure on illegal online casinos and the players who continue to operate here will increase. In February of this year, we at GambleJoe tried to answer the question of why players are still active in online casinos without a licence.

Furthermore, gamblers in online casinos with a German licence usually benefit from popular payment methods and virtual slot games. In addition, there are well-functioning player protection measures in place here, which may overshoot the mark in some cases, but above all protect vulnerable players from the dangers of gambling to a high degree.

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