Limits: deposit limits

Deposit limit €1000/month: how it works

What it is: the player, when registering, sets an individual monthly inter-operator limit, which "by default" cannot exceed €1000; control goes through LUGAS ("limit file"). Excess blocks further deposits until the end of the settlement period for all licenses.

Exceptions: the contract allows rare deviations up the permit (strict check of availability of costs/risks). Practice recognizes frames up to €10,000 - €30,000 on an individual basis, but this is an exceptional case with increased checks and "friction" conditions.

Why it: The goal is to prevent harm from overplay and "bypass" limits through play from multiple operators.

What it means for players

The limit is valid in total for all brands; You cannot "add" a deposit from another operator at the reached threshold.

If there is a real need to increase the limit, an additional check and decision of the regulator/licensor will be required; there is no automatic upgrade.

What it means for operators

Requires correct integration with LUGAS and instant blocking of deposits when the threshold is reached; the operator is responsible, not just the central system.

Any "bypass" practices are considered a violation and lead to GGL measures (prescriptions, public warnings, fines).

Advertising: Strict framework and "watershed"

Basic principles

Advertising should not be excessive, cannot appeal to minors or vulnerable groups; honest submission of bonuses/conditions is obligatory.

Advertising of illegal games and unlicensed sites is prohibited.

Time constraints

For virtual slots and online poker, there is a ban on advertising from 06:00 to 21:00 on TV/radio/Internet ("watershed"). There is a separate mode for sports (including restrictions around broadcasts).

Channels and formats

Influencers/streamers: Slot/poker ads are limited; courts and the regulator upheld bans and additional conditions for online advertising via streaming to protect young people.

Internet/social networks: banning youth-targeting, requiring age filters and transparent labeling; clickbait and hidden conditions are a violation.

Additional land/authority instructions

The "condition models" (Nebenbestimmungen) specify the details: the prohibition of advertising slots/poker in offline movies between 06:00 and 21:00, the requirements for issuing bonuses on the network, etc.

Why Germany chose this approach

Player protection: limit and watershed reduce impulsiveness and risk for young people.

Sewerage to the "white" sector: strict advertising and limits direct the audience to licensed products with KYC/AML checks and self-control tools (including OASIS).

Enforcement: GGL actively suppresses illegal offers and advertising - from blocking to public warnings.

Practice: how to work within this framework

To the player

1. Plan your budget: take into account the total limit of €1000/month. to all accounts.

2. Watch for the honesty of advertising: a legal operator does not promise "easy money" and does not hide the terms of bonuses.

3. Use security tools such as OASIS self-exclusion and personal time/spend limits.

To the operator

1. LUGAS-compliance: correct limits and locks, logging of events.

2. Advertising-hygiene: no youth codes, FOMO keys, "pseudo-risky" offers; compliance with the "watershed" 06: 00-21: 00 for slots/poker.

3. Affiliate contour: prohibition of clickbait and illegal redirects, control of influencers/streams.

Possible changes on the horizon

During the GlüStV-2021 assessment, adjustments are discussed (including on limits and details of advertising rules), but the basic design - inter-operator limits and strict advertising model - remains the core of the German approach to risk mitigation.

The German market is deliberately "slowed down": €1000/month. inter-operator deposit and harsh advertising regime discipline the industry and protect the consumer. For players, these are predictability and understandable rules; for operators - a high price of compliance, but also a transparent playing field in the largest EU market with a priority of responsible practice.