For those who want to know exactly whether a particular gambling provider has a German licence or not, the whitelist of the Joint Gambling Authority of the Federal States (GGL) is the first port of call. All legal operators in Germany are listed there in detail with specific company and licence data. However, it was previously difficult to obtain an overview, as the list was only available for download in PDF format. This is set to change with the new, now fully interactive version, which also includes various search filters.

The GGL describes the new whitelist as a key tool for promoting transparency and consumer protection in the German gambling market. Previously, it was only available as a static PDF document. Now, however, it is available as an interactive online platform for the first time.

  • This change has resulted in significantly more user-friendly handling. It is now possible to search for specific providers and use various filter functions. Whether specific types of gambling, regional responsibilities or licence details - the new digital version allows precise navigation through the complex landscape of licensed gambling in Germany.
  • Behind the modernisation is GGL's desire to further channel the legal gambling market and consistently push back illegal services. This is a decisive step, as Section 6e (3) of the State Treaty on Gambling 2021 (GlüStV) requires all legal providers to clearly display their official licence on their website. If this is missing or if an operator is not on the whitelist, their offer is considered illegal.

With the new platform, consumers can check for themselves more quickly whether an operator fulfils the strict regulatory requirements. This will ultimately create more transparency and strengthen trust in the regulated platforms.

The new whitelist is completely interactive - with filters, more information and full-text search

Filters

In its press release on the new whitelist, GGL emphasises the numerous filter functions that are now available. They make it much easier for consumers to find specific brands, operators and their offers or licences quickly and precisely.

Filter options at a glance

Type of gambling:

  • Sports betting: Betting on sporting events such as football or tennis.
  • Virtual slot machines: Digital variants of classic slot machines. By the way, there are 12 new slots to discover at BingBong and JackpotPiraten.
  • Online poker: card betting games offered via the Internet. Unfortunately, there are more and more organised poker bots online, so caution is advised.
  • Horse betting on the Internet: Betting on horse racing via online platforms.
  • Commercial gaming brokerage: Sale of lottery products on behalf of state providers.
  • Social lotteries: Lotteries whose proceeds benefit charitable causes.
  • State class lotteries (GKL): Large state lotteries with staggered draws.
  • GKL lottery retailers: Official sales partners of state class lotteries.
  • State lotteries of the DLTB: Lotteries of the German Lotto and Totoblock.
  • Casino games in casinos: Classic table games such as roulette and blackjack in brick-and-mortar casinos.
  • Online casino games: Digital variants of casino games such as roulette or blackjack.
  • Savings lotteries: Lotteries that are linked to savings plans - for example from credit unions and savings banks.

Responsibility:

  • Gambling supervisory authority of the federal state: Responsible for regional providers and their authorisation.
  • Joint gambling authority of the federal states (GGL): Centrally responsible for national and online offerings.

More information

The integration of additional data fields is also a step forward. In addition to the initial licence date of a gambling offer, users can now also view information on subsequent licences. This provides greater transparency as to how long an operator has been active and whether they have renewed their licence.

The overview also shows in detail which and how many types of gambling an individual company actually covers. In the course of our research for the report on the authorisation of virtual casino games in Schleswig-Holstein, we still had to speculate which platforms would provide roulette, blackjack and co. based on the licensed operating companies. This would have been much easier to find out with the new whitelist.

Full text search

The new platform offers a powerful full-text search that works intuitively and efficiently. It is no longer necessary to know the exact name of the operator or to scroll through extensive PDF documents. Instead, it is sufficient to enter the brand name of a provider, such as ‘Betano’, to obtain relevant results. Incidentally, Betano won big at this year's EGR Awards - including ‘Operator of the Year’.

The algorithm searches the entire database and delivers information without users having to rely on the often unwieldy company names such as ‘Betkick Sportwettenservice GmbH’ (Betano's operator in German-speaking countries). This not only makes the search faster, but also reduces sources of error that could arise from inaccurate entries.

Technical advantages of the interactive whitelist

Switching to such a digital system brings numerous practical advantages:

  • Faster updating:Changes and new entries can be incorporated promptly without the need to generate and publish files.
  • No storage requirements:Users no longer need to download PDF files, which saves storage space, especially on mobile devices.
  • Error reduction:The interactive platform minimises typing and formatting errors by the GGL, which are more common with static documents. On the other hand, users are also very well supported in their interaction with the list, which drastically reduces the likelihood of an actually licensed operator remaining unrecognised.
  • Simple navigation:Filters and search functions make targeted searches much easier, eliminating tedious scrolling.

In fact, not all gambling providers are included in the new whitelist either

In fact, some gambling companies are not included in the whitelist. However, this does not automatically mean that they are illegal.

This is due to the specific legal regulations of the State Treaty on Gambling and other industry-specific provisions. Some categories of providers are deliberately excluded as they operate in separate legal frameworks or are regulated regionally.

These legal providers are not included in the whitelist:

  • Gaming arcade operators and machine operators: Operators of gaming arcades and operators of gaming machines with the possibility of winning are subject to the Gaming Ordinance and not the licence provisions of the GlüStV. These devices are regulated by the responsible state authorities. We recently reported on a highly questionable message regarding the increase in Frankfurt's slot machine tax.
  • Acceptance points of the organisers in accordance with Section 10 (2) GlüStV 2021: Stationary acceptance points for state lotteries, such as those often found in kiosks or lottery shops, are also not included in the whitelist. They are directly linked to the organisers and do not fall under the GGL licence requirement.
  • Regional gaming brokers: Commercial gaming brokers who offer their services exclusively in one federal state are not listed centrally. Instead, their activities are monitored by the respective state authorities.
  • Local sales outlets of lottery participants: Sales outlets for lotteries of the Joint Class Lottery (GKL) of the federal states, which are often found in small shops or post offices, are also not included. These are again subject to the control of regional authorities.
  • Providers of small lotteries (Section 18 GlüStV 2021): Lotteries with low sales volumes, such as those often organised by associations for charitable purposes, are excluded from the central whitelist. They are subject to simplified legal requirements.
  • Local betting centres: Betting shops that merely act as intermediaries for larger providers, such as local horse betting centres, do not fall within the remit of the GGL whitelist.
  • Totalisers and bookmakers under the Racing Betting and Lotteries Act: Operators that only offer bets on horse racing are regulated under the Racing Betting and Lotteries Act and therefore do not appear on the whitelist.

Conclusion

The new GGL whitelist is a significant improvement on the original version. With its interactive structure, extensive filter options and powerful full-text search, it offers consumers user-friendly access to detailed information about licensed gambling companies on the German market for the first time. The platform not only makes it easier to navigate through the complex gambling landscape, but also helps to clearly identify illegal offers.

Despite its numerous advantages, however, the whitelist remains limited to nationally regulated operators. Separate legal frameworks continue to apply to local and specifically regulated types of gambling. The whitelist therefore remains a powerful tool for the online and supra-regional sector, while consumers must rely on additional sources of information for local providers.

Image source: Screenshot von https://gluecksspiel-behoerde.de/de/fuer-spielende/uebersicht-erlaubter-anbieter-whitelist

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