German gambling body warns unlicensed market is bigger than what the regulator claims

It’s calling for the regulator to accelerate its review of the market.

Germany.- The German online casino trade association Deutscher Online Casinoverband (DOCV) is calling for a more urgent review of gambling regulation to address black-market gambling. It has warned that the country’s unlicensed gambling market is bigger than what the federal gambling regulator GGL claims.

The GGL’s last report in June suggests that the illegal market was worth €600m and represents only 4 per cent of German gambling. However, the DOCV believes the true size of the unregulated sector has been misrepresented through comparison to the whole market across all channels.

The DOCV notes that a University of Leipzig study that it commissioned with Deutscher Sportwettenverband (DSWV) found that 50.7 per cent of players gambled in the regulated online sector, compared to 49.3 per cent via unlicensed EU providers or offshore sites. It is preparing to release figures on channelisation rates in the market next month based on data from Entain and audience data specialist Nielsen.

The GGL has announced a comprehensive market evaluation. However, it’s not scheduled for completion until 2026, and past experience suggests this date could well be pushed back. The regulator has said the main focus will be on analysing the role of the regulated market in society, with a particular focus on the impact of advertising.