Gambling State Treaty 2021 - GlüStV 2021

Regulation Summary

Timeline

Signed by federal states: October 29, 2020
Effective date: July 1, 2021
Amended: March 24, 2022

What Businesses Are Affected

Online and offline gambling operators (lotteries, sports betting, online poker, virtual slots, casino games)
Gambling platforms targeting players in Germany
Affiliates promoting gambling services
Retailers hosting gaming terminals or betting shops

Exemptions

Certain traditional lotteries (e.g., not held more than twice a week)
Gambling exclusively in private, closed groups
Broadcast prize games are regulated separately

Responsibilities for Businesses

Obtain a license from the relevant German authority
Prevent minors from participating through age verification
Implement a Social Responsibility Concept
Integrate with the central player self-exclusion registry (OASIS)
Provide tools for setting player deposit and betting limits
Establish IT and data security systems
Submit annual reports and allow audits

Specific Responsibilities for Website Owners

Implement robust age verification systems to prevent access by minors
Host gambling sites under a ".de" domain
Display mandatory notices (e.g., 18+ only, addiction warnings)
Make all content available in German
Prevent parallel gaming on multiple platforms through a central monitoring file
Integrate player limit and identity checks
Use approved random number generators and secure data storage
Offer direct links to addiction help resources

Additional Requirements

Only licensed games can be offered; unlicensed gambling is strictly prohibited
Advertising must follow strict guidelines (e.g., no ads targeting minors or misleading claims)
Live advertising during sporting events is restricted
Licensees must use a central server (Safe Server) for monitoring

Individual Rights

Players can request access to their gambling history and account data
Players can self-exclude or be excluded by third parties
Players have the right to delete their accounts and request data deletion after five years

Enforcement

Supervisory authority: The Joint Gambling Authority of the Federal States (GGL)
Penalties: Fines (amounts not specified in the treaty), public warnings, suspension or revocation of license
Unlicensed operators may face domain blocks and financial transaction bans