German Gambling Law - Update 2019/2020

Many providers in the German gambling market had high hopes for the year 2020. The long-awaited liberalisation of gaming regulations was about to finally begin: In January, the new licensing procedure for sports betting came into force and applicants expected to receive a corresponding permission shortly afterwards. In March - following several years of negotiations, an already failed draft for a revised law, liberalisation measures and "solo efforts" from Schleswig-Holstein - the federal states finally agreed on a new, more liberalised law, entering into force in July 2021.

After this initially promising start to the year, however, disillusionment quickly followed. Even before the first sports betting licence was granted, the Administrative Court of Darmstadt stopped the sports betting licensing procedure with immediate effect in April. Thus, there is concern that, instead of the anticipated reformation, there will only be further uncertainty for the gambling