Sports betting is a popular and legal activity in Germany, but it is also subject to complex and Online Betting changing regulations. If you are interested in betting on sports events in Germany, you need to be aware of the current laws, the best betting sites, Online Betting and the opportunities and Online Betting challenges that await you in 2023.
Legal Framework for Sports Betting in Germany
The legal framework for sports betting in Germany is based on the Interstate Treaty on Gambling 2021 (the “Interstate Treaty”), which came into force on 1 July 2021.
The Interstate Treaty aims to harmonize the gambling regulation among the 16 German states and to ensure a high level of consumer protection, prevention of gambling addiction, and protection of minors. The Interstate Treaty only considers (online and retail) sports betting, i.e. fixed odds sports betting, on the outcome of sports events or parts of sports events (sec. 3(1) 4 of the Interstate Treaty) to be licensable. Bets on non-sports events (e.g.
social/financial betting or secondary lotteries) are not permitted. The Interstate Treaty also introduces a new licensing system for online sports betting operators, which replaces the previous experimental regime that was limited to 20 licenses and faced legal challenges.