Games operator Mernov, a part of the Gauselmann Group, has become the holder of the first online slots licence in Germany.
The new national regulator, Glücksspielbehörde, based in Sachsen-Anhalt, has published a list of approved online slots operators with Mernov so far the only named slots business allowed to operate online. It has been granted a licence to operate slots online at Bingbong.de as well as Jackpotpiraten.de.
The passing of Germany’s Fourth State Treaty on Gambling has permitted nationwide online slots in Germany for the first time, instead of only in Schleswig-Holstein, coming into effect in July 2021. There are several conditions accompanying this change, such as a €1 stake limit for slot games, as well as operators being required to pay 5.3% of their income in tax.
Although no licenses of the sort have yet been approved, the new treaty also opened doors for online poker to be offered across Germany. In addition to this, online table games can be offered, although these come with a limited amount of licenses.
States are able to choose between an amount equal to the number of land-based casinos in each state or working in a monopoly model. The state of Thüringia has chosen a monopoly model, while Nordrhein-Westfalen and Schleswig-Holstein have issed multiple licences.
Despite the treaty existing for almost a year at this point, there have been no slots or poker licences listed yet. This is because both the Deutsche Sportwettenverband (DSWV), as well as operators, have complained that the rules made operation too difficult.
