Germany’s Joint Gambling Authority of the federal states (GGL) will enter a new chairmanship period from 1 July 2026, with Berlin State Secretary for the Interior Christian Hochgrebe taking over as chair of the regulator’s Administrative Board.
Hochgrebe replaces Sandro Kirchner, State Secretary in Bavaria’s State Ministry of the Interior, Sport and Integration, under the board’s regular rotation system.
The change comes at a significant point for Germany’s gambling framework. The 2021 State Treaty on Gambling created a national structure for online gambling regulation, including licensing for sports betting, virtual slots and online poker, with GGL assuming central responsibility for enforcement and supervision.
GGL’s next phase will be shaped by the planned evaluation of that treaty, which is expected to inform possible adjustments to Germany’s regulatory model.
Market participants have continued to debate whether the existing framework gives licensed operators enough room to compete with offshore sites, particularly in online casino and sports betting.
During Kirchner’s chairmanship, GGL intensified measures against illegal gambling, including action involving hosting providers and payment blocking.
Kirchner said: “The measures against illegal gambling could be intensified, namely in the use of host providers and payment blocking.”
Those tools have become central to Germany’s enforcement approach after court decisions limited the regulator’s ability to rely on IP blocking against certain internet access providers.
Hochgrebe said the coming period would involve reviewing existing structures and current developments, with “the upcoming evaluation of the State Treaty on Gambling and the resulting adjustments” among the main issues.
GGL board member Ronald Benter said: “With Mr. Hochgrebe as Chairman of the Supervisory Board, we feel well-prepared for a year full of challenges.”
The leadership transition also follows continued international pressure on regulators to coordinate enforcement against illegal online gambling.
In November 2025, regulators from Austria, France, Germany, Great Britain, Italy, Portugal and Spain issued a joint statement on illegal online gambling, placing cross-border enforcement higher on the European regulatory agenda.
Earlier this month, GGL warned consumers against unlicensed betting sites during the 2026 FIFA World Cup and directed players to its official whitelist as betting demand increased around the tournament.
GGL is based in Halle and serves as Germany’s central regulator for online gambling licensing, supervision and enforcement
