The gambling regulator in Germany is cracking down on strangers who are targeting people in the country with gambling content. [Image: Shutterstock.com]

Germany’s gambling regulator is cracking down on offshore-based gambling streamers that are promoting unlicensed platforms to people in the country. It requested more power from the government to take action against these people, with the Higher Administrative Court rubber-stamping the proposal.

The court ruled that the Gemeinsamen Glücksspielbehörde der Länder (GGL) has the legal right to intervene as the content is in German and targets people who are in a region that speaks the language, which means it predominantly targets people in Germany.

fears that underage people are exposed to pro-gambling content

The GGL fears that underage people are exposed to pro-gambling content that often normalizes excessive expenditure. GGL Board Member Ronald Benter said that going forward the regulator will “take even tougher action against streamers based abroad.”

Illegal gambling platforms are a big issue in Germany, with the gaming trade association, Deutscher Online Casinoverband (DOCV), saying last week that the black market is more extensive than the €600m ($653m) that the federal regulator estimates. It cited a study from the University of Leipzig which states that about half of gamblers in the country use unregulated platforms.

The GGL doesn’t have plans to complete an extensive evaluation of the sector until 2026 at the earliest.