Furthermore, a significant penalty was imposed on a payment service provider associated with Red Rhino Limited, although the specific name was not disclosed.
The GGL said it is signalling its commitment to taking consistent measures against unauthorised online gambling providers and is utilising all available administrative means.
In addition, the GGL emphasised that penalty payments can be repeated or increased until the prohibition order is fully adhered to.
Co-CEO Benjamin Schwanke commented: “The GGL’s measures are having an impact and we are seeing an increasing pushback on existing unauthorised online gambling offers.”
Fellow board member Ronald Benter added: “This goes hand in hand with channeling to legal offers. Consumers should make sure that they only use legal online gambling offers, as the strict legal player protection measures are supervised by the GGL.”
All authorised providers are listed on the official whitelist.
To provide players with a clear distinction between regulated and offshore gambling websites, the authority also unveiled a new “GGL test and approval seal” that authorised operators are required to display on their websites.
Industry concerns
The regulator also maintains strict rules regarding affiliate marketing, expecting operators to avoid any association with unregulated counterparts.
Earlier this year, the GGL imposed a fine on an undisclosed licensed operator for violating advertising regulations, as it intentionally advertised on affiliate sites endorsing unregulated gambling services.
This, the GGL said, contravenes Germany’s State Treaty on Gambling advertising provisions, aimed at guiding players toward the regulated market by clearly distinguishing legal and illegal offerings.
This practice, according to the regulator, contradicted the advertising rules laid out in Germany’s State Treaty on Gambling, which aims to safeguard players by clearly distinguishing between legal and illegal offerings to steer players toward the regulated market.
iGaming NEXT understands that there are concerns within some quarters of the industry regarding the potential application of similar rules for game providers.
They fear that in the future the regulator may also restrict the offering of GGL-approved games to unregulated operators.
