Germany’s regulated betting and iGaming market approached €7.5 billion in wagering turnover during the first half of 2026, consolidating digital growth under the supervision of the Gemeinsame Glücksspielbehörde der Länder (GGL) and reinforcing the economic weight of regulated gambling ahead of the evaluation of the Glücksspielstaatsvertrag 2021.
In the first quarter alone, turnover reached €3.842 billion, up approximately 9% from €3.513 billion in Q1 2025. Of that amount, €3.220 billion was generated online, representing around 84% of the total, compared with €2.928 billion a year earlier.
- Germany’s online slots market climbs to €543 million as regulated gaming gains ground
Ronald Benter
Sports betting remained the dominant segment with €2.431 billion, accounting for roughly 63% of quarterly turnover and rising about 11.6% from €2.179 billion in Q1 2025. Online sports betting contributed €1.809 billion, while retail generated €622 million.
Virtual slots reached €1.201 billion, compared with €1.099 billion a year earlier, an increase of approximately 9.3%. Online poker declined to €186 million from €210 million, a drop of around 11.4%, while online horse betting fell from €25 million to €23 million. Lotteries are reported separately. In Q1, class lotteries generated €54 million and social lotteries €328 million, for a combined €382 million, while commercial lottery brokerage reached €258 million.
Tax revenue was also substantial. Germany collected €632.3 million in gambling taxes in Q1 and €647 million in Q2, bringing the first-half total to approximately €1.2793 billion. The Halle (Saale)-based GGL is headed by Ronald Benter. Since July 1, 2026, Christian Hochgrebe has chaired its Administrative Board. The regulator also operates LUGAS, with its technology infrastructure managed by Dataport, headed by CEO Johann Bizer. In 2025, LUGAS processed data from more than 60 licensed operators and approximately five million registered players.
Channelization remains a major regulatory challenge. A study published on March 16, 2026, estimated that 22.97% of Germany’s online gambling market remained with unauthorized operators, compared with a legal channelization rate of 77.03%. The figures will be central to the regulatory review that could shape Germany’s gambling framework from 2027 onward.
