Online Poker & Slots - what is possible in Germany?

What has happened in online poker and slots in Germany since the State Gambling Treaty 2021? Since the new legislation came into force, the world of online gambling in this country has changed a lot. Numerous regulations have been modified and new guidelines established - a transition that has caused confusion and uncertainty for many players. They may ask themselves: "What is allowed now? What has changed in online poker and slot games? Which casinos are legal and what are the limits?" If you find yourself in such a situation, you have come to the right place.

In this article, we will outline the most important changes brought about by the new State Treaty on Gambling and clarify what the current state of affairs is in Germany with regard to online poker and slot games. We will endeavour to briefly and concisely shed light and bring clarity to this confusing, but also exciting, new era of online gambling.

What does the new State Treaty on Gambling mean for online slots?

The introduction of the State Treaty on Gambling in 2021 has significantly changed the landscape for online casinos in Germany. Previously operating in a legal grey area, online gambling operators are now able to operate completely legally, provided they have obtained a German licence. However, this legalisation has also brought with it a number of regulatory requirements and rules that have significant implications for both German players and operators of digital gaming venues.

The most important innovations include:

• Deposit limit: across all brick-and-mortar and digital offerings, players are allowed to deposit a maximum of €1,000 per month.
• Stake limit: the maximum stake per spin on virtual machines is 1 euro, a game round must last at least five seconds.
• Table games: Banker games such as roulette, blackjack, baccarat and co. are still not permitted at the federal level. Poker may only be offered separately from slot games without a dealer.
• Safety instructions: The website operator must provide information and offers of help on the subject of gambling addiction and be connected to the federal blocking system OASIS.
• Panic button: Every player must be able to lock himself for 24 hours with a simple push of a button.
• Game duration: The slot game must last at least 5 seconds. This will certainly make the side games popular with poker players a little more boring...
• Winning and losing information: When logging into the website, the gambling operator must show the player all information about winnings and losses in the current month.

In addition to these regulations, providers may only offer players an incentive (bonus) of up to 100 euros per year. This bonus may consist of cash bonus, casino free spins and other gratuities and may be offered to both new and existing customers. Each promotion must be approved in advance by the Joint Gaming Authority of the countries.

What has changed for online poker?

Poker is the only table game to have made the leap into legality, but it has had to accept some tough restrictions to do so. The ban on live dealers is just one of them. The experience of playing against a human dealer in an atmosphere similar to that of a real casino is unique, but unfortunately no longer possible in the future. It might become more difficult to replace this special atmosphere and the thrill that comes with it.

In addition, the ban on games with bankers means that all games from now on will have to be "player against player" and the betting range will be randomised. For poker, this means that only natural persons may play against each other and the tables are randomly occupied. There is therefore no longer a free choice of seats in the virtual poker room.

Queues at a particularly popular table are now a thing of the past, as is extreme multi-tabling. The limitation to only four tables at which a player may play at the same time will change the gaming experience for many. For frequent players who are used to playing at several tables at once, this could mean a significant adjustment.

Germany imposes poker tax on stakes

One of the most noticeable changes for poker players is certainly the introduction of the 5.3 per cent gaming stake tax. For every tournament buy-in and even for cash-game games, 5.3 percent tax will be due. So as soon as you sit down at a virtual poker table and regardless of how many hands you play, the provider will have to deduct 5.3 percent of your stack in taxes. This could have a significant impact on your gaming experience as it directly affects your winnings.

There is concern that this change could lead to players looking for online casinos without this tax, which could lead to a significant decrease in players at legal gambling portals in Germany. In the meantime, there are individual legal poker sites in Germany that take over the accruing taxes on poker stakes for their customers.