Central Europe
GGL Publishes its 2024 Activity Report
The GGL has published its 2024 Activity Report, which reviews key developments and achievements of the past year. The report explains the approach to combating illegal gambling as well as the activities related to the supervision of legal gambling providers. A key component of the report is also an analysis of market developments in the German gambling market.
Last year, the GGL processed 230 permit and amendment applications and supervised 141 providers. The authority faced a variety of regulatory, legal and supervisory challenges. Major events such as the UEFA European Football Championship and the Olympic Games, in particular, resulted in increased advertising and betting activities, necessitating increased monitoring.
A milestone in 2024 was the court approval of the “Markers of Harm” developed by the GGL. These indicators were developed for monitoring increased deposit limits and were first used in 2024. They serve as an early detection of problematic gambling behaviour. The Mainz Administrative Court confirmed their legal admissibility. The GGL sees this as an important step towards uniform player protection standards.
In 2024, the GGL successfully took action against illegal offerings and was able to make the offerings of numerous illegal providers inaccessible to players in Germany. A total of 231 prohibition proceedings were initiated and over 1700 websites were reviewed. Approximately 450 illegal gambling sites were no longer accessible from Germany due to prohibition orders, and another 657 were no longer accessible due to geo-blocking based on the Digital Services Act (DSA). Payment blocking made deposits and withdrawals for illegal offerings more difficult.
Another success was the adjustment of Google’s advertising guidelines at the initiative of the GGL. Since September 2024, only authorized providers in Germany have been allowed to advertise via Google Ads. This significantly reduced the visibility of illegal offers.
“Our measures are having an impact. Nevertheless, combating illegal offerings remains challenging and requires perseverance and close cooperation with national and international partners,” said Ronald Benter, CEO of GGL.
According to GGL estimates, illegal online gambling accounts for approximately 25% of the total online gambling market.
The legal German gambling market (online and land-based) generated gross gaming revenue (equivalent to players’ losses) of approximately €14.4 billion in 2024—an increase of approximately 5% over the previous year. Tax and levy revenues from gambling amounted to approximately €7 billion.
The providers regulated by the GGL generated approximately four billion euros, which corresponds to a 28% share of the total permitted market.
In the illegal market, the GGL registered 858 German-language gambling websites operated by 212 operators without a license. The GGL estimates that the illegal German-language websites it recorded represent a market volume of between €500 and €600 million. This corresponds to approximately 3% to 4% of the entire legal market (terrestrial and online) and approximately 25% of the legal market for dangerous online gambling, such as virtual slot machines or sports betting.
In 2025, the GGL expects further groundbreaking court rulings on its measures, thus providing even greater legal certainty in its approach. The authority will continue to support the evaluation of the 2021 State Treaty on Gambling and, among other things, further expand advertising monitoring. The further development of the use of safe servers is intended to further improve oversight of the legal gambling market and enable more precise monitoring. A particular focus is on intensive cooperation with national and international authorities to further effectively curb the illegal gambling market. This will target not only the providers themselves, but also technical service providers, advertising partners, and other supporting actors.
Ronald Benter said: “Our stated goal is to make the business model of illegal providers unattractive through a comprehensive package of measures. Combating illegal offerings remains a long-term process that requires strategic action, decisive action, and close interagency cooperation.”
The post GGL Publishes its 2024 Activity Report appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
Central Europe
Habanero goes live on Favbet Romania
Deal adds Habanero’s slots and table games to Favbet.ro as the supplier targets further growth in CEE regulated markets.
Habanero has gone live with Favbet Romania, rolling out its slots and table games portfolio on the operator’s locally focused platform in Romania’s regulated online market.
Under the agreement, Favbet Romania players gain access to Habanero’s full catalogue. The companies positioned the launch as part of Habanero’s wider push to add regulated operator partners across Central and Eastern Europe.
Toni Karapetrov, Head of Corporate Communications at Habanero, said: “Favbet Romania is a well-respected brand in Europe and exactly the kind of partner we look to work with as we deepen our presence in the market. Romania players have a strong appetite for our content and we are confident our games will resonate well with their audience.
“Romania is an important market for us, and going live with this operator is another strong step in our continued European expansion across high-growth regulated markets.”
Cristian Sapovici, Head of Casino, Favbet Romania, said: “The collaboration between Favbet Romania and Habanero has been strong from the very beginning, and this co-branded collaboration agreement marks an important step in strengthening our strategic partnership.
“Our shared objective is to deliver a more integrated gaming experience for players in Romania, supported by consistent visibility, dedicated campaigns, and a stronger presence of Habanero content within the Favbet.ro ecosystem.”
Habanero said it is now live in 22 European regulated markets, and counts operators including Entain, Sisal and Betway among its partners.
The post Habanero goes live on Favbet Romania appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
Brightstar Global Solutions Corporation
Brightstar Lottery Signs 3-Year Contract Extension with TIPOS, Slovakia’s National Lottery
Brightstar Lottery PLC announced that its subsidiary, Brightstar Global Solutions Corporation, has signed a three-year contract extension with TIPOS, the government-owned lottery in Slovakia, to continue providing best-in-class lottery technology and lottery-related services.
TIPOS has been a valued Brightstar customer for more than 30 years. Under its most recent contract with TIPOS, signed in 2019 and which this agreement extends to 2032, Brightstar implemented in Slovakia a new lottery central system, next-generation retailer terminals, and related support services. Brightstar will further support TIPOS’ business expansion by delivering up to 2500 new mobile lottery terminals, handheld devices that provide lotteries expanded reach and enhanced convenience.
“Brightstar continues to deliver important services and innovative solutions to help us grow lottery in Slovakia. The success of our partnership funds a variety of good causes in Slovakia, including education and sports, and we are pleased to extend our agreement,” said Štefan Vyletel, Chairman of the Management Board and CEO of TIPOS.
“We are honored that TIPOS has entrusted us to serve Slovakia’s lottery for three decades. The handheld terminals we are deploying will enable TIPOS to convert offline instant ticket sales activities to online sales at the individual ticket level, while expanding the number of points of sale locations that players can purchase draw-based lottery games. We remain firmly committed to providing TIPOS and its players with exciting and innovative lottery solutions to help drive funding for good causes in Slovakia,” said Marco Tasso, Brightstar Chief Operating Officer International and Italy Operations.
The post Brightstar Lottery Signs 3-Year Contract Extension with TIPOS, Slovakia’s National Lottery appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
Central Europe
Tipico Casino Enters into Partnership with Holstein Kiel
Tipico Casino, operated by Tipico Karlsruhe Ltd, has entered into a partnership with German second-division football club Holstein Kiel. The agreement marks the start of a long-term collaboration between two strong and trusted brands.
In April, Tipico Karlsruhe Ltd. launched a fully regulated online casino offering in Schleswig-Holstein – becoming the first private provider to do so in Germany. The licences were granted in September 2024 by the state’s Ministry of the Interior, Municipal Affairs, Housing and Sport. The partnership with Holstein Kiel reflects the strong regional commitment behind this new offering.
The aim is not only to deliver exciting entertainment to people in Schleswig-Holstein, but also to ensure a safe and responsible environment. Tipico is known for its high standards in player protection in Germany and applies the same approach to its online casino offering.
Holstein Kiel stands for authenticity, passion and down-to-earth values like few other clubs in northern Germany. At the heart of the collaboration is a long-term partnership built on trust, regional proximity and shared values.
Christian Heins, Director of iGaming at Tipico, said: “As someone who grew up in northern Germany, I feel a strong personal connection to the region. I’m therefore especially pleased that we’ve been able to bring together Holstein Kiel, a club with great tradition, and Tipico Casino. By joining forces, we aim to offer players a safe and engaging online casino experience.”
Wolfgang Schwenke, Vice President and Managing Director of KSV Holstein, said: “We are delighted to welcome Tipico as a partner that is actively contributing to developments in Schleswig-Holstein. As a club with strong roots in the region, it is important to us to build and strengthen local partnerships. At the same time, we share a clear commitment to providing a responsible environment.”
The post Tipico Casino Enters into Partnership with Holstein Kiel appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
-
iGaming industry6 days agoPragmatic Play Releases its Latest Slot Game “The Big Dog House”
-
Aphrodite Legends of Olympus™6 days agoInspired Expands Portfolio with Three New iGaming Slots: THE GREAT EGGSCAPE™, APHRODITE LEGENDS OF OLYMPUS™, GOLD FEVER MINE ALL MINE™
-
betting market5 days agoBiS Brasília brings together experts and authorities to discuss the future of Brazil’s betting market
-
Altenar7 days agoPhilippine Sportsbook ArenaPlus Selects Altenar as Technology Provider
-
Aviator Studio6 days agoAviator Studio marks another major win in São Paulo court
-
Aviator Studio7 days agoAviator Studio Achieves Major Legal Victory in São Paulo
-
AGLC6 days agoAlberta iGaming Corporation Appoints Dan Keene as its CEO
-
BetGames6 days agoWeekend Reels | Week 21: Slot Drops & Trends



