The German online gambling market kept moving forward last year, with players continuing to shift from retail to online channels. The latest annual report from Germany’s regulator, the GGL, paints a clear picture: digital gambling is here to stay, and it’s growing fast.

  • Total gross gaming revenue reached €14.4 billion in 2024, a solid 5% increase from 2023. Online gambling accounted for €3.5 billion of that, up 18% year-on-year. More people are turning to their phones and laptops instead of betting shops, a trend that looks set to continue. The German online gambling market is clearly leaning into this digital push.

  • Sports betting remains a big driver. In 2024, it brought in €2 billion in revenue, with about two-thirds coming from online bets. Football dominated — no surprise there — with nearly 80% of bets placed on matches. Major events like the Euros and the Olympics added extra fuel, and the GGL kept a close watch to ensure compliance.

  • Virtual slots and online poker combined for €600 million in revenue. Slots alone generated €489 million and continued to attract steady interest, especially through mobile apps. Many providers had a full calendar year to operate under their licenses for the first time, which helped boost figures.

  • Online poker pulled in €69 million in rake, a sharp jump of 71% from the previous year. Players staked around €800 million overall. Apps led the way here, too, showing that poker fans increasingly prefer playing on the go.

  • Online casino games are still a small part of the market, with only €700,000 in revenue last year. Just one licensed operator was active, so growth in this segment will depend on regulatory shifts and future licensing.

  • Lotteries remain a staple. They pulled in €5.5 billion, with €4.4 billion coming from state lotteries and €1.2 billion from online sales. Social lotteries also kept rising, reaching €756 million in revenue — more than half of that online. The German online gambling market’s digital momentum is clearly visible even here.

  • The GGL stayed busy behind the scenes. In 2024, it processed 230 license and amendment applications and kept tabs on 141 operators. More than 15,000 individual slot games were vetted. The regulator also launched a new tool to track advertising more closely.

  • Enforcement efforts didn’t slow down either. The GGL issued 231 prohibition orders and checked over 1,700 websites to clamp down on illegal providers. Payment blocking and geo-blocking helped stop cash flows and access, forcing many operators to exit the market.

  • The regulator continued working with international partners and pushed for EU-wide standards on safer gambling and early risk detection. New studies on advertising and market channeling started last year and will help shape policy down the road.

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