It is no secret that as Europe’s most populous and affluent country, Germany also happens to be the continent’s biggest gambling market and in 2013 the nation of 80 million people generated $3.7 billion (€2.7 billion euro) in revenues, up by 5% compared to the previous year. In order to organize a framework for its burgeoning gambling industry, Germany introduced its Interstate Treaty on Gambling in 2012, but the piece of legislation has since drawn criticism from the EU, especially as it forbids all types of internet gambling with the exception of sports betting.
One of Germany’s 16 states, however, did not approve of the ISTG and broke ranks by awarding 50+ iGaming licenses to operators, only to reverse its decision one year later.
