GGL Tightens Advertising Bans in 2026 — What's Changing Now for German Online Casinos

On June 1, 2026, the Joint Gambling Authority of the Federal States (GGL) has put a new, comprehensive package of measures for advertising virtual slot games and online poker into effect. The authority is responding to growing political criticism that the advertising regulations in place since 2021 were not sufficiently effective in practice. The new directive affects all of the approximately 60 online casino operators currently licensed by the GGL in Germany — including prominent brands like JackpotPiraten, OnlineCasino DE, Merkur Slots, bwin Casino, Tipico Games, and LeoVegas DE.

At its core, the new directive prohibits all forms of TV and radio advertising for online casinos between 6:00 AM and 9:00 PM. Additionally, commercials are now prohibited from showing specific bonus offers, real-money winnings, or examples of slots. Only brand and security communication remains permitted, such as references to the GGL license, player protection measures, or the operator's location.

The new online advertising rules are particularly far-reaching. Social media advertising on Instagram, TikTok, and Snapchat is now completely banned — regardless of the target audience's age. On platforms like YouTube, X, and Facebook, advertising is only permitted with a verified age gate (21 and older). Google and Bing ads must now remove any mention of bonuses and may only link to neutral, non-promotional landing pages. Affiliate marketing — i.e., commission for external referral sites — remains permitted, but under significantly stricter transparency and player protection requirements.

For German players, the new rules mean one thing above all: less advertising pressure, but also less comparability of bonuses and promotions. The GGL justifies the stricter measures by citing the significant increase in advertising volume from online casinos in 2025 — according to industry figures, €380 million was spent on TV advertising alone, an increase of 42% compared to 2024. The aggressive promotion of welcome bonuses, in particular, has been criticized for months by player protection associations and the BZgA.

Operators are having mixed reactions. While the Gauselmann Group (Mernov / JackpotPiraten, Merkur Slots) welcomed the new advertising ban in a statement as a "necessary step for the credibility of the regulated market," the German Online Casino Association (DOCV) criticized that the stricter rules could further fuel the already strong black market. Studies from the University of Hohenheim show that currently around 25% of all online casino wagers in Germany are still placed on unlicensed platforms — a figure that could potentially increase further due to advertising bans on legal providers.

The new regulation also brings changes for affiliate sites like Lustich.de. Bonus comparisons remain generally permitted but must now mandatorily include the notice "Gambling can be addictive" and the phone number of the BZgA's counseling center. Slot demos, screenshot galleries, and recommendation texts fall under the new transparency rules and must be clearly marked as commercial content. At Lustich.de, we have already been adhering to these standards for years — so the new directive changes little for our editorial team in operational terms.

An initial impact analysis of the new advertising regulations has been announced for early 2027. If the measures lead to the hoped-for reduction in problematic gambling patterns, further tightening can be expected — such as a complete ban on cashback promotions. However, if the black market continues to grow, the discussion is likely to move in the other direction: towards a cautious relaxation combined with more aggressive prosecution of illegal providers. From today's perspective, the industry remains in a state of flux — and players should rely more than ever on independent comparison sites to find the right GGL-licensed providers for them.