DATA + TRACKING
FRANCE
REGULATED GAMBLING PRODUCTS: Sports betting, horse race betting, poker, bingo and lottery. OPERATOR TYPE: Private operators can obtain online licences for sports betting, horse race betting and poker. The monopoly has exclusive rights to bingo and lottery. STATUS: A regulated market since the introduction of a licensing regime in 2010, following which the EC withdrew its infringement proceedings. In March 2022, ANJ, the French gambling regulator, was granted administrative powers to block illegal gambling websites. In November 2024, the French government announced the launch of a period of consultation in connection with the potential regulation of online casino in France. It had been expected that a series of technical meeting with stakeholders would take place in Q1 2025.
GERMANY
REGULATED GAMBLING PRODUCTS: Sports betting, horse race betting, virtual slots, online poker and table games. OPERATOR TYPE: Private operators may apply for licences to operate horse race betting, sports betting, virtual slots and online poker at federal level. Online table games( such as roulette, blackjack and live dealer casino) are reserved for land-based casinos, most of which are state operated( although certain states, such as Schleswig-Holstein and North Rhine-Westphalia, have passed laws to open a licensing system to private operators to offer online table games in their states and, in the case of the former, such online table game licences were first granted in September 2024). STATUS: The primary legislation on gambling in Germany is the 4th Interstate
Treaty on Gambling, which entered into effect on 1 July 2021. A number of operators have obtained licences under the licensing regime introduced by the 4th Interstate Treaty on Gambling( as set out in the‘ Whitelist’ of operators maintained on the website of the regulator – the Joint Gambling Authority of the States).
GREAT BRITAIN
REGULATED GAMBLING PRODUCTS: Sports betting, horse race betting, poker, casino, bingo and lottery. OPERATOR TYPE: All licences are available to private operators save for lottery, which is reserved exclusively for the monopoly provider, Allwyn. STATUS: Any operator that transacts with, or advertises to, British residents requires a licence from the Gambling Commission( GC). Licensed operators are required to source gambling software from GC-licensed businesses. In December 2020, the government launched a“ major and wide-ranging” review into the current gambling legislation in Great Britain. The government’ s proposals for reform were published in a white paper in April 2023. Proposals include, for example, the introduction of:( i) prescriptive rules on when online operators must check customers’ financial circumstances;( ii) stake limits for online slots;( iii) further rules on online products to ensure they are‘ safe by design’;( iv) improvements to‘ player-centric’ tools; and( v) a new ombudsman to deal with social responsibility complaints. Since July 2023, a series of consultation papers have been published in relation to, for example:( i) maximum stake limits for online slots;( ii) remote game design;( iii) financial vulnerability and financial risk checks;( iv) the introduction of a statutory levy. These consultations have now closed and other consultations have likewise since closed, including those on( i) improvements
to player protection tools;( ii) social responsibility around player incentives; and( iii) financial penalties and financial key event reporting.
On 1 May 2024, the Gambling Commission published its response to the consultation which addressed some of the Government’ s key white paper proposals. The response addresses, among other things, direct marketing, age verification, remote game design and financial risk checks as well as with respect to PML requirements. The Commission also outlined the implementation timeline for these changes. For example:( i) since 30 August 2024 operators have been required to carry out financial vulnerability checks at specified levels; and( ii) revised requirements on the way in which operators may carry out direct marketing took effect on 1 May 2025.
The Department for Culture, Media and Sport consulted on certain key white paper proposals, including the introduction of:( i) maximum stake limits for online slots(£ 5 per spin for those aged 25 and over and £ 2 per spin for those aged 18 to 24); and( ii) a statutory levy. The maximum stake limits in relation to online slots are now in force, while gambling operators will be required to make their first levy payment to the GC by 1 October 2025.
GREECE
REGULATED GAMBLING PRODUCTS: Sports betting, horse race betting, poker, casino, bingo and lottery. OPERATOR TYPE: Under the permanent licensing regime, two‘ Types’ of licences are available to private operators:( i) Type 1 for online betting; and( ii) Type 2 for other online games( which includes poker and casino games). However, certain entities which were previously stateowned have the exclusive right to offer bingo, lottery and pari-mutuel betting or
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