There is a new reporting rule from Gemeinsamen Glücksspielbehörde der Länder (GGL) that gives the clearest look yet at how Germans are betting.
For years, Germany’s gambling numbers have been a patchwork, annual reports, occasional studies, but nothing regular enough to track real change. This situation has now shifted.
The national regulator, the Gemeinsamen Glücksspielbehörde der Länder (GGL), has released its first quarterly market data, marking a turning point in how the country monitors its gambling sector, a change first outlined in German Gambling Regulator Reports Q2 Stake Drop, Plans Quarterly Updates from 2025.
Lotteries
Despite the rise of online gaming, lottery tickets keep their place. The report shows that lotteries, both state-controlled and charity-run, continue to hold a strong presence. In Q1, stakes reached €377m, followed by €371m in Q2.
Class lotteries contributed €61m in Q1 and €58m in Q2, while charity lotteries brought in over €315m in each quarter. These steady figures show that traditional lottery draws remain a trusted and familiar choice, even as digital games gather pace.
Slots
Digital slots are quickly becoming the backbone of Germany’s regulated market. When it comes to online casino products, slots stand out. They generated €1bn in wagers in Q1, climbing to €1.1bn in Q2. For the regulator, this is confirmation that slots are now one of the country’s most powerful verticals.
Online poker told a different story. Stakes dipped from €204m to €184m, suggesting a slowdown after earlier growth. By contrast, online horse racing saw a small but clear rise, moving from €25m to €32m. These numbers sketch a market still finding its balance between established favourites and emerging niches.
Sports
Football, basketball and other sports continue to dominate the gambling scene. Even with online slots on the rise, sports betting remains king. The report shows €1.6bn in online wagers in Q1, followed by €1.4bn in Q2. Retail betting shops also played their part, though their numbers dropped from €585m to €494m.
Altogether, sports betting across both channels reached €2.1bn in Q1 and €1.9bn in Q2, far more than any other category. It’s a reminder of how deeply sports are tied to betting habits in Germany, and how this vertical continues to shape the wider market.
A new era of quarterly audits
Operators are now required to share data every three months, which ensures stricter oversight. GGL has introduced quarterly reporting to monitor the market more closely. The regulator believes that more frequent updates will help policymakers, stakeholders and the public understand how the regulated industry is developing. It will also allow it to respond more quickly to trends that indicate problems such as channel distribution or market imbalances.
Questions about the black market
Industry representatives argue that the official figures do not tell the whole story. Not everyone is convinced that the regulator’s data reflects reality. German operators point to a 2023 study by the University of Leipzig, which found that only about 50% of gambling activity was carried out by licensed operators.
This means that a large shadow market continues to lure players away from regulated platforms. There are concerns that while the new GGL framework brings clarity, it may also understate the scale of the problems facing licensed operators.
A clearer picture, but not the full picture
Germany now has the most detailed overview, but there is still work to do. The first quarterly data paints a picture of sports betting dominance, slots growing in popularity and lotteries stable. It is a step forward in transparency, but the debate over black market activity still lingers in the background.
The challenge for regulators, politicians and operators is clear: turn this data into a strategy that strengthens the licensed market while reducing the appeal of unregulated play.
