Germany: Baden-Württemberg debates tougher anti-illegal gambling measures

Lawmakers in the German state of Baden-Württemberg have begun debating amendments to the Interstate Gambling Treaty aimed at strengthening player protection and intensifying efforts against illegal online gambling.

Interior Minister Manuel Hagel is relying, among other measures, on expanded enforcement powers and network blocking. The draft legislation was the subject of heated debate in the State Parliament.

The new regulations include, among other things, expanded powers for gambling regulators at foreign police authorities, since most gambling providers licensed in Germany are based abroad. They also aim to create a legal basis for network blocking and so-called IP blocking as a tool to combat illegal gambling. 

The proposals received mixed reactions during the parliamentary debate. Supporters, including Green Party representative Peter Seimer, described IP blocking as a necessary and proportionate tool for tackling illegal operators.

CDU representative Lorenzo Saladino also backed the reforms, warning that an insufficient legal market could push consumers towards unlicensed platforms lacking player protection, anti-money laundering safeguards and regulatory oversight.

Opposition lawmakers questioned whether the measures would achieve their intended objectives. SPD representative Boris Weirauch called for a comprehensive review of the current regulatory framework.

The draft legislation has now been referred to the Committee on Internal Affairs and Digitalisation for further consideration, with a final vote expected later this autumn.

At the federal level, Germany’s Joint Gambling Authority of the federal states (GGL) is expanding the LUGAS regulatory data system with public-sector IT provider Dataport as the country approaches a review of its national online gambling framework.

LUGAS is used to supervise licensed cross-state gambling activity and contains data relating to operator compliance and player activity. According to GGL, the system processed information from more than 60 licensed operators and approximately five million registered players during 2025.