Until recently, Germany has been a bit of a question mark when it comes to online casino games.
Players from Germany have been able to play online casino games all this time, but there is officially no real regulation from the country, meaning it’s a grey area.
But now, German legislators have created something called Glücksspielneuregulierungstaatsvertrag (GlüneuRStV) – what a mouthful that is.
Germans will be put under strict new regulations as of 2021
Limits Coming to German Players
Until now, there have been no limits, so to speak, for German players, meaning if they can create an account at a Bitcoin casino, or any online casino for that matter, then they can play.
But, under the GlüneuRStV, German players will be limited for in-game sports betting markets and they will have max spin values placed on slots.
For in-game sports betting, Germans will only be allowed to bet in-play on next goal scorer and the final result.
If Germans want to play any slots, they will only be allowed to place a max stake of €1 per spin.
Germans will also be unable to take part in any jackpots, auto spin features must be disabled and there must be a minimum of 5 seconds allowed between spins.
Finally, there’s a €1,000 a month limit for German players, which will hamper high rollers from playing. We’ve also seen other countries introduce similar rules with the max play limits.
Operators Getting Ahead of the Game
For Germans that are currently playing online casino games, they might get a bit of a surprise when they see operators adopt these new rules long before the government enforces them.
The GlüneuRStV comes into effect on July 1 2021, so it gives game providers and operators plenty of time to get their ducks in a row.
However, some operators are trying to get ahead and take a proactive stance, placing these restrictions in place as early as possible.
This will then mean any Germans playing at these operators will be playing under the new rules, which could be a bit frustrating for players.
Say Goodbye to Big Wins
Germans that got used to winning big will now have to get used to a world of online slots where the max win is a LOT smaller than it was before.
Slots with 10,000x multipliers will only be able to pay out €10,000 owing to the max stake cap, taking away the thrill of the game for high rollers.
For your average player, these new regulations shouldn’t be too much of an issue, it’s the high rollers that will feel the pain the most.
Is There a Work Around?
Where there’s a will, there’s a way. And fortunately for high rollers, there are a few workarounds that can be used.
Operators could follow the American example where by players can opt to deposit in crypto and online casinos will look the other way, for the most part.
Now, this is another grey area, but a lot of Bitcoin casinos use this practice. It’s also highly risky as if you do this and start being a pest, the casino will close down your account, citing that you broke the terms and conditions.
On the other hand, German high rollers could simply head on over to neighboring countries and go to land-based casinos there.
For now, though, unless you want to break the rules and risk your money, you’re going to have to abide by these new rules.
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