Strict regulations have always kept popular online gambling sites away from Germany. Such laws took away serious revenue potentials from the country whose residents generally love to play real-money games of risk. The Germans have thus regularly shifted towards foreign casinos, leaving their funds there instead of in their own country. Nevertheless, we are finally looking at the embracement of the industry.
 The German lawmakers have agreed on terms on a series of measures to eventually legalize online casino games at some point. It means the players should get in a position to spin the slot reels at N1 Casino in Germany, or any other bountiful iGaming environments set to flourish upon the completion of the process. A breakthrough was made in March 2020 when the country’s lawmakers gathered in Berlin to discuss the legalization of online poker and casino games. The German head of state agreed on the terms for the ultimate approval of the ever-growing industry but the law changes and the latest measures will not come into effect before July 1st, 2021.
The main rules in the transition period
Germany has thus entered the final transition period before the full implementation of the measures agreed upon in March 2020. The location of the new regulatory authority is still not 100% confirmed, but the rumours say the entire niche should be overseen in Sachsen-Anhalt during the transition period.
The main terms discussed in the key March meeting dealt with several important aspects. According to these, all states keen to introduce online gambling will need to show their plans to the European Commission before even entering the transition period.
Furthermore, the casinos aiming to enter the newly-born market will not be allowed to offer slots and table games at the same time. Those who decide to go for slots will be required to impose a €1 cap per spin. The legal gaming hubs will not be able to offer the autoplay feature. Progressive jackpots will also be forbidden. The main goal is to prevent the players from wagering high amounts of money. Irresponsible gambling is a massive issue in all countries around the planet.
Additionally, the online casino sites will not be allowed to advertise their offer from 6 am to 9 pm. The lawmakers don’t want such content to reach an underage audience, hence such a decision. Any operator found not to follow the aforementioned rules will be forced to shut down its operations permanently. All of the regulations will probably impact casino sites that deal in Bitcoin and other gaming operators who were used to high-roller players from Germany playing there.
Table games regulations
While the Germans will be allowed to play slots under the aforementioned criteria, table games will not be at their disposal in the transition period (at least not in all states). Any casino that ignores such measures will be closed permanently. It is important to know that these rules will not be applied to all states. For example, Schleswig-Holstein residents will have the luxury of enjoying all online gambling products. This liberal state is an exception to the general rule, though.
A start of a new era of online gambling in Germany
The mentioned law changes bring a whole new world of opportunities in a fruitful industry to the Germans. It will be very interesting to follow how both operators and players cope with the newly-formed rules in the transition period.