Lottoland on the GGL whitelist – legal but better?
Lottoland was previously considered an illegal lottery agent in German-speaking countries, but this has now changed. Since the beginning of the week, Lottoland has been allowed to operate on the GGL whitelist for lottery agents with permission for internet sales. Magnus von Zitzewitz, Managing Director of Lottoland deutschsprachige Länder GmbH, expressed his satisfaction with the approval and emphasized that the application for permission has now finally been approved by the Joint Gambling Authority of the States after intensive examination by the federal states.
According to its own statements, Lottoland is not only planning to broker lotteries in German-speaking countries. According to the licensing authority, further licenses for legal sports betting and virtual slot machine games will soon be issued. However, the gaming company did not make a specific forecast for the launch of the offer. The lottery license for Lottoland marks the end of a long-standing conflict between the company and the state gaming controllers. In the past, Lottoland was accused of illegal online gambling in German-speaking countries, which led to a series of sanctions from the authority.
Lottoland was illegal, but what changes now?
In October 2022, the GGL called on internet service providers to open the Lottoland Group's websites to block German-speaking countries. In addition, the GGL intervened with payment service providers to prevent financial transfers to and from secondary lottery accounts. Lotto players from German-speaking countries used secondary lotteries to participate in lottery draws that were not offered in the country. These included, for example, Euromillions, which were not offered by state lotteries. The approval now granted thus marks a turning point for Lottoland, which was previously considered illegal.
Lottoland is now legal as it has received a lottery license from the Joint Gaming Authority of the States (GGL). This authorization allows Lottoland to offer lottery brokerage services with permission for Internet distribution. This license was awarded after an intensive review by the federal states, which have now confirmed that Lottoland meets the legal requirements and complies with the regulations of the German State Treaty on Gambling.
The licensing of Lottoland is a significant step. The company had previously faced allegations of illegal online gambling in German-speaking countries. Now Lottoland can officially operate as a legal lottery agent in German-speaking countries. It can offer its services to German players legally and in a regulated manner.
The approval for Lottoland could also extend to other gaming segments. This includes sports betting and virtual slot games. This shows the importance of licensing by the GGL. It confirms Lottoland as a trustworthy player on the German gambling market.
Conclusion about another provider that no one needs:
The introduction of another provider seems superfluous as long as the German gambling law does not offer any advantages for gambling addicts or players, but primarily benefits the state. This type of legal exploitation of gambling fans does little to protect players or ensure safety.
