The Joint Gambling Authority of the German Federal States (GGL) published a comprehensive FAQ on online gambling advertising on 30 September 2026. The occasion was the nationwide Day of Action against Gambling Addiction, which took place under a motto about heavy advertising and weak player protection. The main message, according to the press release: advertising for permitted gambling is allowed in Germany, but not without limits. The FAQ is not legally binding — GGL itself stipulates that only the law and licence conditions are binding.
In the document, the authority explains why such advertising is allowed at all, what limits apply to it, which player protection measures operators must observe and how to recognise advertising for unauthorised offers. Gambling advertising is visible to many people in everyday life, which means the rules need to be explained clearly, said GGL board member Ronald Benter.
Among the general requirements, according to the authority, advertising must not be aimed at minors or at-risk groups, downplay risks, create time pressure or present gambling as a way to solve financial problems. Additional restrictions apply to direct marketing, such as push notifications and emails.
The 6 am to 9 pm window for slots, poker and casino games
According to the FAQ, advertising for virtual slot machines, online poker and online casino games is banned from 6 am to 9 pm on air and on the internet. The 2021 Interstate Treaty on Gambling distinguishes between online casino games — virtual table games such as roulette and baccarat — and virtual slot machines, although in everyday speech the two are often confused. The strictest rules apply to slots and poker, according to GGL. The window applies to these types of games, but not to sports betting.
Sports betting: separate restrictions
Advertising for sports betting is permitted for authorised offers, GGL says, but with caveats. Bets on an event may not be advertised on the channel broadcasting it immediately before or during the broadcast. Advertising featuring active athletes and officials is prohibited. At sports venues, only umbrella-brand advertising is allowed — on shirts, perimeter boards and similar media.
Streams, affiliates and influencers in the regulator's focus
According to GGL, it checks streams, affiliate partnerships and other marketing that at first glance looks like personal content but may count as advertising. There is no general list of criteria, the authority notes. As an example, it cites a ruling of the Higher Administrative Court of Saxony-Anhalt of 11 July 2024, which upheld its assessment of streams as advertising for unauthorised gambling. The decision was made in a specific case. GGL takes its definition of advertising from a decision of the Federal Administrative Court of 12 February 2025.
Influencers who advertise unauthorised gambling are, according to GGL, criminally punishable — as are players who take part in such games via links.
The whitelist and how to file complaints
Whether an operator holds a permit can be checked in the official whitelist on the GGL website. If an offer is not on the list, this is, in the authority's assessment, illegal gambling, which means the advertising for it is illegal too. But being on the list does not mean that any advertising by the operator is permitted: content, form, timing and distribution channel all matter.
GGL asks that suspicious advertising be reported via its contact form, attaching a screenshot and, where possible, the domain, operator name, date, time and medium.
Earlier, raids were carried out in Germany as part of an investigation into an alleged illegal gambling network: according to investigators, more than €5.8 billion in bets passed through platforms linked to it between July 2021 and the end of 2023. That is the volume of bets, not the organisers' revenue. GGL welcomed the outcome of the investigation by the Frankfurt am Main public prosecutor's office.
Neither the press release nor the FAQ names any plans to change the advertising rules.
