German authorities have taken down an alleged illegal online casino group that handled €5.86 billion (US$6.9 billion) in wagers. The significant size of the operation has led the country’s regulated industry to reiterate claims that authorities have underestimated the extent of the black market.
Over 100 police officers, prosecutors, and tax investigators took part in raids on 11 residential and commercial properties in Frankfurt, the broader Rhine-Main region, and Cologne last week.
Five suspects are charged with running multiple illegal gambling websites, predominantly offering virtual slots, since at least July 2021.
One alleged leader was arrested under a warrant issued by the Frankfurt District Court.
German prosecutors are not disclosing the suspects’ names or the gambling websites allegedly involved.
The operation reportedly accepted €5.86 billion in wagers between July 2021 and December 2023 alone, according to authorities, who also claim the suspects evaded gambling taxes, resulting in an estimated tax loss of €77.6 million ($90 million) in 2024.
Investigators seized assets worth approximately €82 million ($95 million), froze bank accounts, and confiscated several luxury vehicles.
Estimates Challenged
The German Online Casino Association (DOCV), representing the regulated online gaming industry, highlighted the recent investigation as further proof that Germany may be downplaying its black market issue.
Earlier in the year, a study commissioned by Germany’s gambling regulator, the Gemeinsame Glücksspielbehörde der Länder (GGL), suggested that unlicensed operators contributed to about 23% of the country’s online gambling gross gaming revenue (GGR) in 2024.
This equated to roughly €547 million ($633 million) in illegal GGR.
A 2025 study commissioned by DOCV and the German Sports Betting Association (DSWV) estimated that unlicensed operators represented around 56% of Germany’s online gambling market.
DOCV executive committee member Kevin O’Neal remarked that the figures uncovered by investigators did not align with official estimates of the black market and called for changes to Germany’s gambling regulatory system.
“This operation is undoubtedly a success. However, it also demonstrates that the illegal online gambling market is thriving…” O’Neal stated.
“The numbers from the investigation do not coincide with the authority’s estimates. This difference is too significant and must be clarified by the GGL. Its data underrepresents the black market.”
Scale of Betting Revealed
The network purportedly processed an average of approximately €2.34 billion ($2.7 billion) in wagers annually over the 30-month period identified by prosecutors.
For context, Germany’s entire regulated online slots market recorded about €4.57 billion ($5.3 billion) in stakes during 2025.
This means that the alleged illegal network’s annualized betting volume was equivalent to over half the stakes handled by Germany’s entire regulated online slots market last year.